To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 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.

No formal instructions are given to security staff for dealing with those sleeping rough in departmental doorways or beggars in the vicinity. It is, however, normal practice for security staff to ask those sleeping rough in departmental doorways to move at the start of the working day if they have not already done so. No problems with either category have been reported within the last three months.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will now review the withholding of eight of the 762 entered papers on files FO 371/34563–90, following the information about Katyn made available by the Russian Government on 14 October 1992.

Seven papers relating to Katyn were released to the Public Record Office in 1993. These were:

• FO 371/34553 (1943)
• FO 371/34590 (1943)
• FO 371/39385 (1944)
• FO 371/39421 (1944)
• FO 371/77476 (1949)
• FO 371/77477 (1949)
• FO 371/100719 (1952)

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is currently reviewing all other papers withheld on files 371/34563–89, only one of which appears to relate to the Katyn massacre. I shall let my hon. Friend know the outcome of the review in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prescriptions for benzodiazepine drugs have been issued by the Department of Health and Social Services in the past 10 years.

Some 7,995,602 prescriptions for benzodiazepine drugs were issued by general practitioners in Northern Ireland between 1983 and 1993.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether a flag pole has been provided at the premises of the roads service of the Department of the Environment in Armagh city; whether a Union flag has been supplied to these premises; whether advice has been given about the recognised days on which the Union flag is flown at Government offices; why the Union flag was not flown on the official birthday of Her Majesty the Queen at these premises; and if he will make a statement.

Both a flag pole and a Union flag are provided at the Department of the Environment's roads service premises in Armagh city. Advice is usually given about the recognised days on which the Union flag is flown at Government offices but, owing to an administrative error, the date of the Queen's official birthday was not notified this year. Steps have been taken to prevent a recurrence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether a flag pole has been provided at the premises of the water service at the Department of the Environment in Armagh city; whether a Union flag has been supplied to these premises; whether advice has been given about the recognised days on which the Union flag is to be flown at Government offices; why the Union flag was not flown on the official birthday of Her Majesty the Queen at these premises; and if he will make a statement.

Neither a flag pole nor a Union flag has been provided at the Department of the Environment's water executive sub-divisional depot at 15 Ardmore road, Armagh. Provision will be made as soon as possible to enable a Union flag to be flown at this building.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has to provide for payments to voluntary groups to collect waste paper for recycling; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have no plans to provide for payments to voluntary groups to collect waste paper for recycling. New waste legislation is being prepared, which will introduce to Northern Ireland provisions similar to those contained in part 2 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, including a recycling credit scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many sites have been identified in the constituency of South Down for the purposes of industrial development by the Industrial Development Board from 1 April 1984 to 31 March 1994; and which are they.

The Industrial Development Board's industrial estates at Killough road in Downpatrick and at Milltown in Warrenpoint have been available for industrial development since 1984.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made by the Industrial Development Board on the indentification of sites for industrial development in South Down.

A 6-acre site has been identified at the racecourse on Ballydugan road in Downpatrick. A search for other possible locations has resulted in four sites being identified and a report on their suitability for industrial development is expected at the end of July.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many jobs were created by the Industrial Development Board from 1 April 1984 to 31 March 1994; how many of these were the result of inward investment contracts; and what are the location of these jobs.

Information on job creations is not available in the manner requested or by location. However, details of jobs promoted by the Industrial Development Board over the last 10 years are available by district council area and are set out in the table. The Industrial Development Board's own research shows that companies create approximately two thirds of all promoted jobs over a period of three to five years after acceptance of the Industrial Development Board's offer of assistance.

Jobs Promoted by the Industrial Development Board 1984–85 to 1993–94
District Council Area	Total Jobs Promoted	Inward Investment Jobs Included in Total Jobs
Antrim	3,878	1,972
Ards	1,419	130
Armagh	562	—
Ballymena	1,284	323
Ballymoney	536	116
Banbridge	206	—
Belfast	4,145	2,128
Carrickfergus	978	216
Castlereagh	1,205	407
Coleraine	1,205	20
Cookstown	232	—
Craigavon	5,039	754
Derry	5,356	1,626
Down	589	121
Dungannon	2,544	257
Fermanagh	1,350	109
Larne	1,758	100
Limavady	922	483
Lisburn	2,567	1,160
Magherafelt	832	22
Moyle	52	37

£000s
Category	Belfast	Western	North-Eastern	South-Eastern	Southern
1992–93
Major	—	220	—	1,967	104
Minor	164	195	468	265	105
1993–941
Major	—	14	—	3,358	—
Minor	222	192	258	74	57
1Provisional.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many jobs have been created by the Local Enterprise Development Unit from 1 April 1984 to 31 March 1994; if he will list the locations of these jobs; and how many of these jobs still exist.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the income from the sale of houses for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in the borough of Ards for the years 1993–94 and 1992–93; and how much of this income was reinvested in the borough of Ards in each of those two years.

This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, but its chief executive has advised me that income from the house sales scheme in the borough of Ards was £1·335 million for 1992–93 and £1·398 million for 1993–94. The Housing Executive's investment in the borough of Ards on new build was £1·919 million in 1992–93 and £1·659 million in 1993–94.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total capital expenditure for minor and major works for each college of further education in Northern Ireland during each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the colleges' total capital expenditure for each financial year from 1989 to 1992 is analysed by area in the "Statements and Summary of the Education and Library Boards' Accounts"—Cmnds. 1531, 1977 and 2249—copies of which are available in the Library.The 1992–93 and 1993–94 expenditure is as follows:

Up to 1990–91 the principal measure of LEDU performance was job promotions. The job promotion figures for 1984–85 to 1990–91 by regional area are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list by county the current estimate of the red squirrel population; what were the figures (a) five years and (b) 10 years ago; and if he will make a statement.

No estimate of the red squirrel population of Northern Ireland has been made. I counted five when I visited Belvoir forest park on 23 March. Support for the population of red squirrels includes full protection under the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list by date and item for the last 48 months when an item from the state property inventories maintained at No. 10 Downing street was discovered to have been missing; whether each item found to be missing was discovered by he Cabinet Office internal auditors or by one of his officials responsible for making periodic checks of the inventory; and if he will list those items that have now been traced, and where they were discovered.

As far as I am aware, no item from the state property inventories has been discovered missing within the stated period.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the production, distribution and transportation of the surplus EC food currently being distributed; the quantities and costs involved in the current year; and what his projections are for the changes and trends in the system next year and in subsequent years.

In 1994, the European Commission allocated 175 mecu—£136 million—to member states under the EC surplus food scheme which is fully financed by the Community. The United Kingdom received 29 mecu—£23 million—for the release from invervention stores of 6,840 tonnes of beef, its transportation to processors, processing into canned stewed steak and its distribution to designated organisations. Certain administrative costs of these organisations are also reimbursed. The transportation of the produce to organisations for distribution to about 1·6 million eligible recipients should be completed by the end of July. Copies of leaflets LP45 and LP46, which describe the scheme rules, are available in the Library of the House.The European Commission is responsible for allocating funds to member states and for approving their plans for operating this scheme. It does so for one year in advance only. For 1995, the United Kingdom's current plan is to maintain the present arrangements, but I shall be making an announcement about this later in the year.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if she will urge the European Commission to adopt a maximum eight-hour limit on slaughter journeys, and prohibit the export of farm animals to non-EU countries which do not comply with EU welfare standards during transport and at slaughter;(2) if she will support a maximum journey time for animals when the transport directive is decided upon.

At this week's Agriculture Council, the United Kingdom withheld support for a revised package of proposals on the welfare of animals during transport. We have obtained a commitment from the Commission that it will bring forward further proposals on journey limits by 1 July 1995.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what regulations exist regarding milk produced by cows known to be infected with the bovine immunodeficiency virus.

All milk for human consumption must meet the requirements of the Milk and Dairies (General) Regulations 1959 and the Milk (Special Designations) Regulations 1989 made under the Food Safety Act 1990. Animal feed containing milk or milk products must meet the requirements of the Agriculture Act 1970 and the Feeding Stuffs Regulations 1991, as amended. Neither the Acts nor the regulations refer to bovine immunodeficiency-like virus.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what have been the losses in each of the last five years from (a) chicken cancer and (b) Mareks disease in chickens, and other herpes-based diseases.

These diseases are not notifiable and therefore no comprehensive data is maintained.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer to the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlile) of 18 April, Official Report, column 415, which interested parties he has so far consulted and which he intends to consult regarding the future of the state veterinary service.

My right hon. Friend will consult interested parties shortly. The consultation documents will be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conditions were specified in respect of the number of employees to be employed for the first phase of the contract in the contract with Securicor for carrying out court escort services in the Metropolitan police area.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conditions were specified in respect of pay and terms of service of employees in the contract with Securicor for carrying out court escort services in the Metropolitan police area.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which companies tendered for the contract to carry out court escort services in the Metropolitan police area.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the value of the contract awarded to Securicor for court escort services in the Metropolitan police area.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training is currently given to prison officers escorting prisoners to court; what is the duration of that training; and what training, of what duration, will be given to employees of private security firms engaged in this work from 27 June in the Metropolitan police area.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what checks his Department has made for criminal records of the employees of Securicor who will be carrying out court escort services in the Metropolitan police area as of 27 June.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of places in probation and bail hostels covering the Greater London area at 1 April.

As at 1 April, there were a total of 343 approved hostel places in the Greater London area, comprising the inner-London, north-east, south-east and south-west London and Middlesex probation services.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many decisions to make a deportation order have been taken in each of the past five years either under section 3(5)(a) or section 3(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971 where the person to be deported had made known to the Secretary of State the existence of his or her British citizen children.

The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each year since 1990 (a) the percentage of prisoners who are on remand for three months and over who are subsequently brought to trial, (b) the percentage of those on remand for three months and over who are brought to trial who are found not guilty and (c) of those brought to trial, found guilty and sentenced to a prison term, the percentage who have already served as long or longer on remand.

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what specific amount of capital or income has been set by the immigration and nationality department to satisfy the Department of a European economic area national's entitlement to residence under Council directive 90/364 EEC.

No specific amounts are set, but in general we expect an applicant to have a sufficient level of income or capital to exceed the limits at which income support could be claimed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provision is made under the Immigration (European Economic Area) Order 1994 or elsewhere to give effect to Council directive 75/34 article 5, which says that a retired self-employed citizen of the Union must be permitted a period of two years from the date on which he or she becomes entitled to the right of residence to exercise the right, even if the person has spent those two years outside the country.

Article 6 of the draft Immigration (European Economic Area) Order 1994 provides that a self-employed person who has ceased economic activity in the United Kingdom within the terms of Council directive 75/34/EEC is qualified to reside in the United Kingdom. No time limit is imposed within which this right must be exercised.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence of sickness insurance in respect of all risks the immigration and nationality department has determined to be appropriate for the purposes of Council directive 90/364 EEC.

This requirement is not applied at present.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many citizens of the European Union have been issued letters in each of the past five years advising them that their presence in the United Kingdom is no longer lawful on the ground that the person is not or is no longer exercising a treaty right; and how many of those decisions were subsequently executed in each of the past five years.

Information is available for only part of the period requested. Between September 1992 and December 1992, 27 letters were issued to European Community nationals advising them that, because they were not in employment and had insufficient resources to avoid becoming a burden on public funds, they were not exercising a right of residence under European Community law and accordingly should make arrangements to leave the United Kingdom. In 1993, 180 such letters were issued. Since 1 January 1994, when EC rights of residence were extended to the European economic area, 563 such letters have been issued to EEA nationals. The Benefits Agency is informed so that it can cease payment of any income support, but it is not known how many of those concerned subsequently left the country.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total costs of policing for protests regarding (a) the M11 link road, (b) Twyford Down and (c) the Swainswick and Batheaston bypass; and what additional funds have been made to the forces concerned.

I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men and how many women have been imprisoned for non-payment of television licence fees in each of the last five years, giving the average amount of debt unpaid by these offenders.

The available information is for 1991–93 and is given in the table. No information is available for the period before 1991 because the offence of non-payment of fines for using a television without a licence was not separately identified in the prison statistics. No information is available centrally regarding the amount of debt outstanding.

Receptions into Prison Service establishments in England and Wales for non-payment of the community charge, rates, other debts and for using a television without a licence:
May 1993 to April 19941
	Non-criminal offences			Using a television without a licence2
Month	Non-payment of community charge	Non-payment of rates	Other debts2
Males
1993
May	97	16	23	43
June	59	12	22	45
July	106	12	32	47
August	82	10	25	45
September	96	14	29	49
October	125	8	23	48
November	96	14	20	44
December	62	6	13	34
1994
January	78	12	23	52
February	90	10	20	40
March	97	5	15	34
April	72	7	19	31
Females
1993
May	8	2	—	19
June	5	2	—	20

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fine defaulters have been imprisoned for non-payment of (a) television licences and (b) community charge or council tax since 1990.

The information requested is given in the table. No information is available for the period before 1991 for non-payment of fines for using a television without a licence because the offence was not separately identified in the prison statistics.

Receptions into Prison Service establishments in England and Wales for non-payment of fine imposed for using a television without a licence and non-payment of the community charge, 1991–1993.
	Year
Offence	1990	1991	1992	19931
Non-payment of fine for using a TV without a licence	n/a	394	568	845
Non-payment of community charge2	1	113	504	1,157
1Provisional information.
2A non-criminal offence.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) male and (b) female debt defaulters were imprisoned in each month for the latest 12 months for which information is available in respect of non-payment of (i) community charge or poll tax, (ii) rates or council tax, (iii) television licence, (iv) hire purchase and (v) other debts.

The available information is given in the table. No information is available centrally for nonpayment of hire purchase.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the 20 courts passing the largest number of custodial sentences in respect of the non-payment of debts for the latest period of 12 months for which there is information, specifying in addition how many of these sentences were for non-payment of (a) television licences and (b) community charge.

I regret that the information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the formula for calculating areas of urban population for policing purposes; and if he will make a statement.

A new needs-based formula is currently being developed to inform the allocation of resources between police authorities. The definition of urban areas is being considered in that context.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints have been made in the last year for which figures are available of excessive force during deportations; and how many of these complaints were (a) about immigration officers and (b) about employees of private security firms.

During the 12 months to 31 May 1994, complaints of this nature were made in four cases. All related to employees of private security firms, and all were found to be unsubstantiated.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the cost to date of implementing the Dangerous Dogs Act; and if he will make a statement.

Information on the cost to the police, local authorities, the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts of implementing the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) male and (b) female prisoners at present serving a life sentence in prisons in England and Wales had their sentence reviewed by the Life Sentence Review Board during 1993.

In 1993, the Parole Board considered 680 life sentence cases for release. I regret that information on the split between male and female cases is not readily available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the amount of money paid to United Kingdom Detention Services for (a) start-up costs and (b) phase-in costs under the contract to run Blakenhurst prison.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the amount of money paid to United Kingdom Detention Services for operating costs under the contract to run Blakenhurst prison during its first year of operation; and if this sum included the amounts paid for start-up and phase-in costs.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the turnout across the United Kingdom in the recent European elections; and what was the comparable figure in each of the other member states.

Information about the number of electors and the number of valid votes counted in the United Kingdom will be included in a Home Office statistical bulletin. Information about the number of people voting in other member states is not held centrally and I will write to the hon. Member once I have the available information.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many (a) British visitor passports and (b) British excursion documents were issued last year; and what was the cost in each case;(2) what plans he has to abolish the British visitor passport and British excursion document;(3) what plans he has to consult relevant organisations about the future of the British visitors passport and the British excursion document; and if he will make a statement.

In 1988, the Home Affairs Select Committee recommended that urgent consideration should be given to the withdrawal of the British visitor's passport as soon as the computerisation of the passport-issuing process was fully operational. This position has now been reached and in September 1993 the United Kingdom Passport Agency began a review of the suitability of the British visitor's passport and the British excursion document as alternatives to the standard passport for travel abroad. The review is considering document security, international acceptability, customer choice and convenience, and other relevant factors. About 1,972,800 British visitor's passports, and 249,000 British excursion documents were issued in 1993–94 at a cost of £12 and £3 respectively.The Passport Agency has consulted widely on the review, and detailed responses have been received from travel agents, tour operators, transport and shipping associations, consumer groups and interested organisations within Government. The Passport Agency will be reporting its findings to me in the next few months, when a decision will be taken.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the guidance on eye irritation tests.

The guidelines issued in 1987 have been reviewed by the animals (scientific procedures) inspectorate and my right hon. and learned Friend has agreed that revised guidelines should be issued to establishments where such testing is carried out. The guidelines have been endorsed by the Animal Procedures Committee. Copies of the guidelines have been placed in the Library.The revised guidelines aim to promote best practice in order to keep to the minimum any suffering involved to animals used for eye irritation tests while enabling the requirements of regulatory authorities for such testing to be satisfied.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Switzerland's relations with the European Union.

Switzerland has long-standing close links with the European Union. Following the Swiss referendum rejecting European Economic Area membership, the European Union agreed in principle in November 1993 to start negotiations with Switzerland on a number of new bilateral agreements. The Swiss referendum vote in February in favour of a ban from 2004 on lorries transiting the Alps has so far prevented agreement on a mandate for road transport negotiations. But the May Foreign Affairs Council asked the Commission to bring forward mandates in other priority areas and to obtain clarification of the transit ban, so that transport mandates could be adopted. The United Kingdom has pressed for negotiations to open quickly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) of 19 April, Official Report, column 446, what precise steps are being taken to encourage India and Pakistan's accession to the non-proliferation treaty.

We continue to urge India and Pakistan to accede to the non-proliferation treaty at every appropriate opportunity both in our bilateral contacts and in multilateral forums. We are also supportive of all efforts to improve confidence and security in the region which we believe will help to create an environment in which accession to the NPT by these two countries will become more likely.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent developments concerning the verification of North Korea's nuclear facilities; and what action he is proposing to take.

North Korea's continued noncompliance with its safeguards agreement is a cause of great concern. North Korea recently completed the removal of all the used fuel rods from its 5 MW nuclear reactor without allowing the International Atomic Energy Agency to verify independently where different rods had been located in the reactor, which prevented the agency from verifying whether plutonium had previously been diverted from the reactor. A further worrying development is North Korea's decision to withdraw from the IAEA, though this does not affect the legality of their safeguards obligations. Action, including possible sanctions, is now being considered by the United Nations Security Council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of which countries appear to be supportive of each of the two sides in the Yemeni conflict.

Those countries that have issued statements about the crisis in Yemen have, as far as we are aware, supported neither one side nor the other. United Nations Security Council resolution 924, calling for an immediate ceasefire and dialogue to end the crisis, has received widespread support.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what practical action is being proposed to enforce the United Nations embargo on arms supplies to both sides in the Yemeni war.

United Nations Security Council resolution 924 urged countries to cease the supply of arms and other materials to Yemen. No action is necessary in respect of direct exports from the United Kingdom since all military exports are already licensable. No licences have been issued for military equipment for the Yemen since this resolution was passed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether Iraq is militarily supporting north Yemen in the Yemeni war.

We have no reliable information about Iraq's involvement in Yemen.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of which British commercial interests both in and outside Yemen are put at risk by the Yemeni conflict.

I have been asked to reply.Plans by several British companies to assist the Republic of Yemen in refurbishing its infrastructure and developing its natural resources have been set back by the current conflict. For example, it was hoped that a major British company would be awarded a contract to help redevelop the oil refinery outside Aden, which has been hit by air raids. Additionally, a British consortium planning the expansion of Mukalla port and power generation has had to postpone its plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he fully supports the United Nations Secretary-General's report on Cyprus; and whether he endorses the Secretary-General's criticism of the lack of political will by the Turkish side to promote a solution to the Cyprus issue.

The United Nations Secretary-General's report of 30 May was an accurate reflection of the situation at the time. There appears to have been some progress since then. We await a further report by the United Nations Secretary-General.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contributions he has made to the initial installation of a Palestinian administration in the former occupied territories.

We have contributed £1·3 million to the World bank's trust fund for technical assistance and are contributing through the EC to the start-up costs of the new Palestinian Administration, and of the police in particular. Bilaterally, we have assisted the Administration with expert legal advice on the drafting of the Basic Law and with police training and equipment. We are providing assistance in the financial sector, including Bank of England assistance with the establishment of a central monetary authority, to the Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction, and with the legal infrastructure in Gaza. We will also provide help in organising and monitoring the elections.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the reasons given by the Iranian Government for the expulsion of a British diplomat from the British embassy in Teheran; and what was his response to this action.

The Iranian Government are reported as having claimed that Mr. Cowell, the British diplomat expelled from Iran, was involved in actions and behaviour contrary to diplomatic norms and had connections with terrorist groups in Iran. We have made it clear to the Iranians that these allegations are completely unjustified. In our view, Mr. Cowell's withdrawal was a tit-for-tat reaction to the removal of an Iranian first secretary in London in connection with attempts by members of the Iranian embassy to distribute forged documents.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions in the last 10 years the United Kingdom has used its veto in meetings of the Council of Ministers and other EU ministerial groupings.

The United Kingdom can always ensure that its concerns are taken fully into account where the treaty requires unanimous voting. As votes are not normally taken in these circumstances, it is not possible to quantify the number of occasions over the past decade on which we have used the requirement for unanimity in order to insist on a particular outcome.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent developments there have been in Israel-Jordan relationships; and what is his policy on them.

Israel and Jordan have agreed to set up a bilateral commission to discuss water, environment, boundaries and security that will meet in the region in July. We welcome this, and hope there will be further progress on all tracks towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace settlement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress there has been in changing the Malaysian Government's policy of not awarding Government contracts to British firms.

We have been working hard to restore full trade relations with Malaysia and have remained in close touch with the Malaysian Government. The Malaysians have recently said that the embargo is under review, but have not told us when it will be lifted.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to him by the Russian Government concerning a British-Azerbaijani memorandum signed in February on oil and gas projects in the Caspian sea.

The Governments of the United Kingdom and Azerbaijan signed a memorandum of understanding on energy co-operation in February 1994 which made reference to the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian sea. The Government of the Russian Federation subsequently transmitted to Her Majesty's embassy in Moscow a note setting out their views on the legal status of the Caspian sea.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Governments have now committed forces to the United Nations peacekeeping force in Rwanda; and when it is expected that these forces will be in place.

Ghana, Senegal, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Congo and Mali have all responded positively to the United Nations Secretary-General's appeal for troops to agument the United Nations aid mission in Rwanda. It is expected that the first of these troops will be able to be deployed in early July.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what logistical support the United Kingdom Government have committed to the peacekeeping force in Rwanda.

The United Kingdom has offered the United Nations 50 4-tonne four-wheel-drive vehicles for use by the United Nations peacekeeping force in Rwanda.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 13 and 14 June.

I attended the Foreign Affairs Council on 13 and 14 June in Luxembourg.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the importance of science and technology in the Government's White Paper, "Competitiveness: Helping Business to Win."

The competitiveness White Paper reaffirms the message of the last year's White Paper, "Realising our Potential", Cm 2250—that science, engineering and technology make an essential contribution to national competitiveness.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish his recent letter to chairmen of research councils setting out the inter-relationships between the chief executives and the director general of research councils.

I have already done so. On 23 May I sent copies of the letter to the hon. Members for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) and for Cheltenham (Mr. Jones) and to the Chairman of the Science and Technology Select Committee. A copy of the letter has also been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of applications to his Department for projections of future state pension entitlement in the last year for which figures are available and the cost to public funds of this service.

The administration of the pension forecast service is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many income support elaimants are registered at the Chesterfield, Buxton, Ilkeston, Derby—Beckett street—Derby—London road—and Sutton Benefits Agency offices as at March 1994; and how many at each of these were (a) income support claimants signing on as unemployed, (b) pensioners, (c) income support claimants receiving a lone-parent premium, (d) those receiving a disability premium, (e) those receiving a carer's premium and (f) those receiving a severe disability premium.

The administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Michael Richard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the cost and benefit to the taxpayer of a recent party for employees of the Child Support Agency in Plymouth.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims have been made in Nottinghamshire for industrial injuries disablement benefit for emphysema and chronic bronchitis; how many have been successful; and how many and, on what grounds, have been refused.

The administration of industrial injuries disablement benefit is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of average earnings is represented by severe disablement allowance.

As at 4 April 1992, the latest year for which information is available, the average payment of severe disablement allowance was £37·45. This figure, which is based on the rates of benefit payable from 11 April 1991, represents 13·2 per cent. of national average earnings at April 1991.¹

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the cases and amounts of money recovered by the compensation recovery unit from victims of asbestosis in Scotland since 1989.

The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) on what date the Christmas bonus for pensioners was introduced; what was the amount of bonus payable to (a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples in its first year; when it was last increased; what would be the amount of Christmas bonus payable to pensioners in 1994 if the level of payment had reflected the movement in the retail prices index or the average wage, whichever was the higher; and if he will make a statement.(2) if he will increase the Christmas bonus for pensioners in the current year to reflect the movement in retail prices since 1972.

The Christmas bonus was first introduced in 1972 at the rate of £10 for single pensioners and £20 for pensioner couples. No Government have increased the bonus since. If the Christmas bonus had been increased in line with the movement in the retail prices index or the average wage, whichever was the higher, the rate at December 1994 would be £101·90. We have no plans to increase the bonus.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what review of procedures he has instituted following the conviction of Michael Boothe for benefit fraud.

Following the conviction of Michael Boothe, a review of recruitment procedures is being undertaken to improve the checks made upon applicants. We are examining the usefulness of personal referees and the procedures for taking references from previous employers.In addition, a study is due to start in July to determine why girocheques, and other instruments of payment, are being issued clerically.A full investigation of any specific allegations of further internal fraud will be conducted.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many refusals of disability living allowance at review have gone to appeal; and in how many cases the refusal at the review stage has been overturned on appeal;(2) how many refusals of disability living allowance have been taken to review; and in how many cases the original refusal has been overturned at review;(3) to what extent the proportion of successful appeals against refusal of disability living allowance exceeds the proportion of successful appeals against refusal of attendance allowance in the last three years for which it existed.

The information is not available in the form requested as the reason for review or appeal is not recorded. Neither is it possible to give comparative figures for disability living allowance and attendance allowance appeals. Prior to 1992, decisions to award or refuse AA were made by a designated medical practitioner on behalf of the AA board, and there was no right of appeal analogous to the present right of appeal to a disability appeal tribunal. The AA board, itself, carried out reviews where requested. An appeal could be made to the social security commissioner, but only on a point of law.Reviews and appeals are not requested solely because of a refusal to award benefit. People already receiving DLA may be dissatisfied with the level or duration of benefit and many reviews are promoted by deterioration in a person's condition.The available figures relating to reviews and appeals are shown in the tables.

	Number
All new claims for disability living allowance1	1,030,942
Rejected claims for disability living allowance1	453,533
All reviews requested within 3 months of the decision on the claim1	231,985
Unsuccesful reviews requested within 3 months of the decision on the claim1	124,821
Appeals made2	38,785
Appeals heard and decided2	24,409
Successful appeals2	12,996
16 February 1992 to 31 May 1994. Source is DSS (Analytical Services Division) 100 per cent. count of cases.
2February 1992 to 17 June 1994. Source is Independent Tribunal Service 100 per cent. count of cases.

Per cent
	Proportion of reviews successful	Proportion of appeals to Disability appeal tribunals successful
Attendance allowance 1990	375	—
Attendance allowance 1991	372	—
Attendance allowance 1992	379	—
Disability living allowance	146	253

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many representations he has received (a) in favour of and (b) against the passage of the Civil Rights (Disabled Persons) Bill since its Report stage; and if he will make a statement.

Since commencement of Report stage, we have received a number of representations expressing a range of views including opposition to and support for the passage of the Civil Rights (Disabled Persons) Bill. A detailed breakdown is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the cost to the Exchequer of invalid care allowance; and how many people are in receipt of it currently.

As at 13 June 1994, the latest date for which information is available, there were 247,836¹ people in receipt of invalid care allowance.The latest expenditure estimate for 1993–94 is £433 Million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to issue fresh guidance on the organisation of schools, reflecting the new provisions of the Education Act 1993.

I have, earlier today, issued a consultative circular on the supply of school places, to which interested parties have been asked to respond by Friday 5 August. The circular emphasises the importance of quality, choice, diversity and cost-effectiveness in the provision of new school places and describes the action being taken to secure that. Principal elements in the circular are:

(i) the announcement that, in certain circumstances, I may be prepared to approve proposals for new school places despite the absence of a projected shortfall of places in the area, in particular where in my view the proposed new school places would significantly enhance the quality, choice and diversity of education available in that area and where there would be scope, following the approval of new places, for rationalising places at other schools;

(ii) a description of the new framework for the organisation of schools under the 1993 Act, including the role of the new Funding Agency for Schools;

(iii) guidance on how promoters might establish new grant-maintained schools. This new pathway is already attracting considerable interest;

(iv) an outline of the streamlined process for the removal of surplus places, where practicable, while acknowledging that some may need to be retained to promote parental choice, or to preserve access to schools in rural areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give in cash terms, and as a percentage of the United Kingdom average the gross domestic product per capita for (a) each of the new European constituencies in Wales, (b) the average for Wales, (c) the United Kingdom and (d) the European Community.

The following table gives the information requested, except for information on European constituencies in Wales, which is not available.

	GDP per head 11991	Percentage of United Kingdom average
Wales	12,452	84·5
United Kingdom	14,732	100
EUR 12	14,989	101·7
1Expressed in terms of purchasing power standard units (purchasing power adjusted ECU).

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many farmers in Wales were entitled to receive sheep premium grants; how many claims, and what percentage of the total number of entitled farmers, were settled by (a) 30 April, (b) 15 May and (c) 31 May.

Some 17,410 eligible claims were received in 1993. The number and percentage of claims settled is as follows:

	By 30 April	By 15 May	By 31 May
Advance Payment	15,877	16,064	16,113
Percentage	91·2	92·3	92·6
Final Payment	Nil	Nil	11,443
Percentage	—	—	65·6

As at 8 June 14,422-82·8 per cent.—of final payments had been sent to farmers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library copies of the annual reports of the NHS trusts in Wales which became operational on 1 April 1992 and 1 April 1993.