To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish tables showing for each region and nation an estimate of the number of unfit

Table 1: Unfit Dwellings: by Tenure and Region: England 1991
Thousands of dwellings
Standard statistical region	Owner occupied	Private rented	Local authority	Housing association	Vacant	Total
Northern	31	32	21	4	10	99
Yorkshire and Humberside	85	27	31	2	11	156
East Midlands	90	19	22	0	7	138
East Anglia	34	15	11	2	3	65
Greater London	127	56	69	24	25	301
South East	119	64	26	5	26	239
South West	57	33	14	0	18	123
West Midlands	39	39	29	0	9	117
North West	132	47	42	3	36	260
England	715	333	265	41	145	1,498

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines he has issued to local authority councillors in respect of using juveniles under local authority supervision for publicity purposes.

None. The only guidelines on local authority publicity which my Department has issued is the 1988 code of recommended practice on local authority publicity which does not cover the use of juveniles for publicity purposes. I have placed a copy of the code in the Library.

The first table shows estimates of the numbers of unfit dwellings. The second table shows estimates of approvals of mandatory and discretionary renovation grants in England during the financial year 1993–94. Figures are provided for England. For figures for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, I refer the Member to the respective Secretaries of State.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the figures for carbon dioxide emissions resulting from household use of energy in the United Kingdom in each year since 1990; and what is the (a) estimate and (b) Government target for 2000.

The 16th edition of the "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics" shows that emissions of carbon dioxide from household energy use were estimated to be 42 million tonnes of carbon—MtC—in 1990, 44 MtC in 1991 and 43 MtC in 1992. Emissions in 1990 were relatively low because the year was particularly warm. The Government have not set a specific target for domestic sector emissions in 2000, although the measures announced in our climate change programme are expected to achieve a reduction of around 4 MtC below the underlying trend, which is currently expected to be about flat for the domestic sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with representatives of Lloyd's insurance market on the risks associated with global climate change.

I have had no such discussions, but the possible impact of climate change on the financial services industry, including insurance, is one of the issues that will be addressed in the second assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change, and my department is providing financial support for one United Kingdom expert who has been asked to act as a contributing author on that issue.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce new controls to improve safety standards in houses in multiple occupation.

The Government are aware of the continuing concern about the number of hotels in resort areas which are operating as benefit hostels and of the wider concern about safety standards in all houses in multiple occupation—HMOs.Ministers share these concerns, but they are also anxious to avoid regulation unless it can be clearly demonstrated that such regulation is both essential and practical.Local authorities already have considerable powers to improve standards in HMOs, and to establish HMO registration schemes. They also have a statutory duty to ensure adequate fire safety standards in the larger HMOs. The issue of benefit hostels raises separate considerations and planning controls relating to the conversion from hotel to hostel use have recently been tightened.It is clearly necessary to consider carefully what more, if anything, needs to be done in both these areas. I have therefore instructed my officials in the Department of the Environment to begin immediate discussions with interested parties, on the case for a licensing system and how it might operate, with a view to issuing a formal consultation paper in the late summer. Full-scale licensing would require primary legislation and the paper will need to examine the scope for measures to tackle these problems both with or without legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education on what occasions in the last 10 years he or a Minister in his Department has given a direction to civil servants to award a contract against the advice of the civil service; what was the subject matter of the contract and its value; and when it was awarded.

The Secretary of State has not in the last 10 years directed the Department's accounting officer to award any contract against official advice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many conferences his Department has organised to promote the new code of practice for special educational needs; when and where they are to be held; what is the cost for a delegate from a school to attend; and how much additional copies of the information packs on the code of practice will cost.

The Department, together with the Department of Health, the Welsh Office, the National Children's Bureau and the Council for Disabled Children, arranged six conferences to help disseminate the code of practice on the identification and assessment of special educational needs. The conferences were held in London on 15 June, Manchester on 21 June, York on 24 June, Cardiff on 1 July, Bristol on 5 July and Birmingham on 7 July. The cost of attendance for each delegate was £94. Delegates were given an information pack including a copy of the code, the guide for parents and a handbook. Additional copies of the code and the guide for parents can be obtained free; additional copies of the handbook cost £6·50 each.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what measures are being taken by courts in Staffordshire to protect child witnesses, with particular reference to the use of screens and television link equipment; and if he will make a statement.

Both court centres in Staffordshire, namely Stafford and Stoke on Trent, have screens available, and Stafford also has live television link equipment and video playback equipment for use in the presentation of evidence by child witnesses. All magistrates courts have access to screens and the use of the television link equipment at Stafford, if required.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on what occasions in the last 10 years he or a Minister in his Department has given a direction to civil servants to award a contract against the advice of the civil service; what was the subject matter of the contract and its value; and when it was awarded.

Never.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth affairs what progress has been made recently by (a) the United Nations development programme, (b) the Food and Agriculture Organisation, (c) the World Health Organisation, (d) UNOSOM—the United Nations operation in Somalia, (e) the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and (f) UNICEF in developing reconstruction and other services in north west Somalia.

Details of the activities of UNDP, FAO, WHO and the role of UNOSOM in north-west Somalia have been provided in answers to the hon. Member on 24 February at columns 398–99, 28 February at column 546, 1 March at column 631, 15 April at columns 303 and 329 and 14 June at columns 393–94.UNICEF activities in the region include: health—mother and child health programmes, immunisation, treatment and prevention of cholera, support for hospitals and health centres; education—construction of one Koranic school in Hargeisa, with 10 additional schools targeted for rehabiliation, training programme for koranic school teachers; and water and sanitation—emergency trucking of water, rehabilitation of shallow wells and hand pump installation.UNHCR has confirmed the completion of 148 quick impact projects—QUIPS—to assist the resident population and returning refugees. A further 216 projects continue including those in the water, health, education, agriculture, livestock and income generation sectors. UNHCR has also made available US$2·6 million for demining activities and is involved in discussions with regional authorities on the repatriation of Somali refugees from Ethiopia and Djibouti.The United Nations development office is planning a multi-donor mission to Woquooly Galbeed region to take forward discussions with regional authorities on the priorities and conditions necessary for developing reconstruction activities and services to that region.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each know-how fund project by country and date; and how much has been (a) committed and (b) spent on each project.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Staffordshire (Mr. Fabricant) on 28 June at column 471. Such lists are placed in the Libraries of both Houses at regular intervals.Know-how fund expenditure in recipient countries to March 1933—detailed figures for 1993–4 are not yet available—is as follows:

	£
Albania	39,000
Azerbaijan	81,000
Belarus	26,000
Bulgaria	2,810,000
Former Czechoslovakia	14,599,000
Georgia	26,000
Former German Democratic Republic	502,000
Hungary	13,023,000
Latvia	350,000
Lithuania	486,000
Poland	32,722,000
Romania	3,823,000
Russian Federation	14,475,000
Slovenia	45,000
Ukraine	3,193,000
Regional projects1	4,969,000
1For 1992–93 includes Environment projects.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further assistance Her Majesty's Government are providing to the new Palestinian administration in Gaza and Jericho.

In response to the urgent needs of the Palestinian authority, Her Majesty's Government have decided to provide an extra £5 million of bilateral assistance this year. A total of £3 million will be for immediate running costs, and £2 million for increased technical cooperation. Part of these funds will be for the Palestinian police. This will help meet the urgent requirements in the key area of maintaining law and order.The success of the new Palestinian administration in Gaza and Jericho is critical for the future of the peace process. Provision of start-up costs is an immediate need.Her Majesty's Government have previously announced their intention to contribute £70 million of assistance to the Palestinians and the peace process during 1994–95 and 1996–97, through bilateral and multilateral channels. Many programmes are already underway. Their focus is support for the structures of Palestinian administration: the police, for whom we are already providing training and equipment; the Palestinian Monetary Authority; legal structures and the judiciary; water management and health care. We are also providing assistance for the planned Palestinian elections.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the first grants to be made to charities by the National Lottery Charities Board.

This will be a matter for the board to decide.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what role will be played by his Department in the forthcoming consultation on disability; and what plans he has to publish a consultation paper on countering unfair discrimination against disabled people in electoral matters.

My right hon. Friend, the Minister for Disabled People, will be co-ordinating action on this front and will involve other Departments as necessary. We have no plans to produce a separate consultation paper.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions bicycles have been found to contain illegal explosive devices for the use of terrorists, on the mainland of Great Britain.

The available records indicate that there have been two explosions in Great Britain involving bicycle bombs: in 1939 an IRA bicycle bomb exploded in Coventry killing five people and in 1979 a bomb exploded in a mailbag on a postman's bicycle in Streatley, Berkshire. Since then there have been three occasions when Irish Republican terrorists are believed to have been responsible for bicycle bomb attacks elsewhere, twice in Northern Ireland and once at a British military installation in Germany.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current position of his Department over the award of the contracts for the processing of historical criminal records to (a) overseas based and (b) United Kingdom based processing companies; and whether members of the project team have visited processing facilities in the Philippines with regard to this contract.

After careful consideration of the competing bids, which included a visit by members of the project team to the Philippines, it has been decided to award the contract to PCL Group, which submitted the bid which was judged to represent the best overall value for money to the taxpayer. The work will be carried out, under conditions of the strictest security, in Rickmansworth and Glasgow. The contract provides for the conversion of some 3 million records over 18 months, creating a database which will be of immense value to the police service in the investigation of crime.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what important factors his Department uses when determining the award of contracts involving computerisation of (a) criminal records and (b) general processing information of a sensitive nature.

The criteria for evaluation will vary according to the nature of the work to be done; the details are given in the announcement in the Official Journal of the European Communities which launches every substantial procurement. In the case of the current project to computerise the national collection of criminal records, the award criteria, other than price, were stated as

"Proven ability to process the required throughput volumes, achieving the required quality and security levels, in the required timescale" (Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Communities, 25 November and 4 December 1993).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make representations to the Government of Jersey concerning their refusal to allow United Kingdom citizens to gain residential and home ownership rights on the island.

No. Jersey is an internally self-governing dependency of the Crown, and by constitutional convention my right hon. and learned Friend does not seek to intervene in matters such as the island's housing regulations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made by his Department since April 1992 to make polling stations more accessible to people with disabilities.

[holding answer 7 July 1994]: We regularly remind local authorities about their obligation to choose, wherever practicable, buildings which provide access for the disabled. Advice on helping disabled electors provided by the Spastics Society was circulated to returning officers in April 1993. The guidance included a checklist for carrying out accessibility audits at polling stations. A further reminder about the needs of disabled voters was included in our guidance for acting returning officers at the European parliamentary elections earlier this year. My officials met representatives of the Spastics Society and the Royal National Institute for the Blind as part of the post-election review and their concerns have been reflected by the working groups which reported their findings in March. My officials have recently met representatives of the local authority associations to discuss the findings and will report to me in due course on the outcome of the post-election review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what proportion of unfair dismissal claims have resulted in reinstatement in each of the last five years;(2) how many unfair dismissal claims have resulted in reinstatement in each of the last five years.

Only about one third of all unfair dismissal claims are heard by an industrial tribunal. The majority are settled or withdrawn, often as a result of conciliation by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. The number of unfair dismissal claims where reinstatement or re-engagement have been ordered by an industrial tribunal and their proportion of all unfair dismissal claims is shown in the following table:

1 April to 31 March	Number	Per cent.
1989–90	59	0·33
1990–91	63	0·32
1991–92	71	0·28
1992–93	73	0·22
1993–94	72	0·17

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to reinforce the employment rights of individuals suffering from gender identity disorder.

We have no such plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to make it clear on the face of the application form for an industrial tribunal hearing that consent to having the case heard by a chairman sitting alone in chambers, once given, cannot be withdrawn.

Industrial tribunals are independent judicial bodies and such matters are for the presidents of the tribunals to consider. However, I understand that the tribunals' new explanatory booklet on procedures, which the guidance note on the application form asks applicants to read, will make it clear that once such written consent is given by the parties it cannot be withdrawn, although the chairman may exercise his discretion to sit with lay members.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many non-industrial deaths and serious injuries have occurred in each of the last five years due to gas poisoning and explosions.

The information requested is shown in the table:

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what are the reasons for the increase in the cost of building the new British library; and what steps are being taken to control the budget.

A former Minister for the Arts, Mr. Luce, announced to the House on 5 June 1990, that the total cost of the project would be about £450 million. This cash budget has not changed, although it is likely to be exceeded temporarily while we deal with the commercial issues arising from the technical problems encountered recently. I remain determined to bring the overall project costs back to the cash budget set in 1990.An independent consultant carries out cost risk analyses for the Department of National Heritage at regular intervals to ascertain confidence levels that the project will keep within the overall budget and we take action, as necessary, if these raise any concerns. As a result of one such analysis during 1993, we reduced the cost of the two phases of the project, in full consideration with the British library.Monthly financial reports are produced for the department showing, for each element of the work, the amount spent and committed against budget. Quantity surveyors value the cost of the work as it proceeds and the management contractor and independent superintending officer each certify what has been done before we authorise payment. We also exercise strict control over contractual changes which have to be carefully examined and costed before we approve them, where justified.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations he has received from the advertising association regarding pools advertising on television and radio.

The director-general of the Advertising Association wrote to me in November 1993 asking me to reconsider the ban on pools advertising on television and radio.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations he has received from the Pools Promoters Association on amendments to codes of practice of the Independent Television Commission and the Independent Radio Authority regarding pools advertising.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what estimate he has made on the effect of the national lottery's turnover if the football pools were given equal access to advertising on television and radio;(2) what estimate he has made of the effect on pools turnover if a national lottery is permitted to advertise on television and radio and pools are not.

None.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what level of regional financial assistance was made available to each of the standard United Kingdom regions in each year since 1978–79 (a) at current prices and (b) at 1978–79 prices.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 5 June 1992, Official Report, columns 676–78 for information on regional financial assistance since 1978–79. The latest information is regularly published in "Regional Trends". The GDP deflators to convert the expenditure to the 1978–79 prices are published in the public expenditure statistical supplement to the "Financial Statement and Budget Report".

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to publicise and distribute copies of his first annual energy report; what has been the cost of publication of the report; and if he will make a statement on the degree and type of response he has received on the report to date.

I launched volume 1 of the first annual energy report at a press conference on 15 June and mentioned it subsequently at the press conference for the International Energy Agency review of United Kingdom energy policy on 30 June. About 250 copies of the report have been sent out to relevant parts of the media. Volume 2—the Brown Book—had been launched, as usual by the end of April, to coincide with the offshore technology conference in Houston. Further publicity for the report will be provided when the "Digest of Energy Statistics" is published later this month. HMSO, as publisher and vendor of the report, has also carried out its own publicity initiatives. Over 1,500 copies of volume 2 have been sold to date.The direct cost of publishing the report was borne by HMSO. The cost of designing the new formats for the two volumes and of typesetting and proofing was about £40,000. The cost to the Department of official time immediately involved in preparing both volumes of the report was about £120,000. In addition, officials in DTI and other Departments contributed to and commented on the report. This cost is estimated to be of the order of £10,000. The members of the energy advisory panel gave their time free of charge.I have had a favourable reaction to the report from the energy advisory panel. Further reaction is invited within the report itself.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the effectiveness with which the Radiocommunications Agency is carrying out its functions in relation to interference problems in Tonge Park avenue, Bolton.

Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Radiocommunications Agency under its chief executive Jim Norton. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what targets he has set the Insolvency Service executive agency for 1994–95.

Against the background of a declining number of compulsory insolvencies and a significant increase in the resources for 1994–95, I have set the Insolvency Service the target of reducing the number of its open cases to a level equivalent to approximately 12 months inpout. This will involve the service in closing 53,000 cases. I also expect the service to increase the number of proceedings taken for the disqualification of directors of failed companies where there is evidence of misconduct and, similarly, to increase the effectiveness of its investigative effort. To that end official receivers will be placing greater emphasis on disqualification and prosecution work. This will be aided by an increased use of private sector professionals and by the strengthening of the specialist's resources of the disqualification unit.In addition, I have set the service the following quality of service targets for 1994–95:

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many telecommunications licences have been granted since the duopoly review in March 1991.

A total of 47 telecommunications licences have been issued since March 1991. In addition, I have now decided in principle to grant licences to Concert—the BT/MCI joint venture which has recently obtained clearance from the United States Department of Justice—and AT and T. Draft licences will be prepared and will be subject to consultation in due course. Public consultation is obligatory for all public telecommunications operator licences, such as AT and T's. It is not obligatory in the case of Concert's non-PTO application. However, I have decided that in this case it would be appropriate to give interested parties the opportunity to comment. The issue of the licences is subject to agreement on the detailed terms and conditions.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was (a) the planned expenditure and (b) the actual expenditure on regional support in 1993–94.

[holding answer 28 June 1994]: The information on planned expenditure is published in the DTI's 1994 "Expenditure Plans, 1994–95 to 1996–97", a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library. Final figures on the actual expenditure on regional support in 1993–94 are not yet available. They will be published in the appropriation accounts in due course.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which members of his Department visited the Department of Social Security severe hardship unit in Glasgow in April; what was the purpose of their visit; what recommendations they have made following their visit; and if he will make a statement.

Treasury officials paid a visit to the severe hardship unit in Glasgow for discussions about the administration of income support payments to young people. Advice from them or from any other official to Ministers would be treated as confidential in the normal way.

To ask the Attorney-General when and by whom the decision was taken to set up a committee to investigate the possibility that the Crown Prosecution Service might be privatised; who are the members of that committee and what other positions they hold; how many times the committee has met; what provisional date has been set for privatisation; what plans he has to publish a Green Paper and to consult publicly on the proposed privatisation; and if he will make a statement.

I announced on 6 December 1993, Official Report, column 59, that consideration would be given to whether the Crown Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office and the Treasury Solicitor's Department should become executive agencies under the "next steps" initiative. I further announced on 27 April 1994, Official Report, column 234, that prior options studies were being undertaken, to establish whether agency status or other options would be appropriate. The Government's first report on the citizens charter, published in 1992, announced that privatisation is one of the options considered before an agency is set up. Other options include contractorisation and market testing.The prior options and agency studies for CPS and SFO are being overseen by an interdepartmental steering group which comprises officials from my own Department, CPS, SFO, the Lawyers Management Unit, Home Office, Lord Chancellors Department, Treasury and Office of Public Service and Science. The steering group has so far met on two occasions and is charged with reporting to me by late autumn this year. No decisions have yet been made nor will they be made until the process is completed. In my announcement on 27 April I invited contributions from interested parties. These continue to be welcome and should be sent to:

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) to what extent problems in the Child Support Agency computer system and the EDS application have contributed to the backlog in the agency's work;(2) to what extent the Child Support Agency office staff of clerical grade are finding difficulty in accessing, using and reacting to their computer system; and what assessment has been made of the effects of, and remedies for, the difficulties experienced by Child Support Agency staff;(3) to what extent the Child Support Agency has been hampered in its national operation by

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many maintenance assessments have been wrongly calculated by the Child Support Agency since its establishment.

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 (1) what average amount of money received from absent parents the Child Support Agency holds at any time pending the forwarding of those payments to parents with care of children;(2) how much interest the Child Support Agency has received to date from moneys received from absent parents prior to their payment over to parents with care of children.

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 what maintenance payments are due from fathers of children born to unmarried lesbians; and if he will make a statement.

Under the Child Support Act and regulations, a parent with care who claims or receives income support, family credit or disability working allowance is required to give her authority for maintenance to be pursed from the absent parent unless there is a risk of harm or undue distress occurring to her or any child living with her. If benefit is not in payment it is a matter for the parent with care whether she seeks a child support maintenance assessment.A man who fathers a child has a responsibility to pay maintenance under child support legislation. This applies whether the mother lives alone or with a new partner. However, where a woman attends a licensed centre for artificial insemination by an anonymous donor the donor cannot be treated as the absent parent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he plans to lay regulations before Parliament to allow occupational pension schemes to reinstate former employees' protected rights as he announced in his statement to the House on 23 June, Official Report, column 359.

The Protected Rights (Transfer Payment) Regulations 1987 preclude the transfer of protected rights into an occupational pension scheme where the member is not employed by the contributing employer. Following representations from officials of the Securities and Investments Board and the occupational pensions sector, we have decided to remove this restriction and have today laid before Parliament appropriate amendment regulations. Reinstatement will remain at the discretion of the schemes' trustees in the light of their schemes' rules. However, the new regulations will enable schemes who wish to do so, to accept the transfer of protected rights even where the individual is no longer employed by the contributing employer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on what occasions in the last 10 years he or a Minister in his Department has given a direction to civil servants to award a contract against the advice of the civil service; what was the subject matter of the contract and its value; and when it was awarded.

I am advised that there is no knowledge of any such directions being issued in my Department in the last ten years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to ensure further education opportunities for young people suffering from muscular dystrophy; and if he will make a statement.

The Further Education Funding Council for Wales is responsible for ensuring adequate arrangements are in place to meet the needs of all students with learning difficulties or disabilities.The Council has built into its recurrent funding methodology a significant element to recognise the discrete costs of provision for students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and to enable such students to access and integrate successfully in mainstream courses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to ensure that full planning permission is required from county councils in order to construct any building, plant or machinery.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what occasions in the last 10 years he or a Minister in his Department has given a direction to civil servants to award a contract against the advice of the civil service; what was the subject matter of the contract and its value; and when it was awarded.

This information is not held centrally. I am looking at how difficult it would be to obtain it and at what cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce approval of and the names of the chairmen and board membership of those trusts intended to commence their existence on 1 April 1995.

Decisions on whether or not to establish further NHS trusts in Wales are expected to be announced in the autumn following statutory public consultation. Announcement of the membership of any further trusts would be made as soon as possible thereafter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those health trusts in Wales which (a) are and (b) are not achieving a 6 per cent. rate of return with respect to the financial year 1993–94 management accounts.

All but one of the 14 trusts expect to achieve a 6 per cent. rate of return for 1993–94. The rate of return for the South and East Wales ambulance trust may be marginally lower at around 5·7 per cent. The actual outcome will be known following the audit of the annual accounts for each trust.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from the trusts in Wales with respect to the 6 per cent. rate of return on capital, with respect to rolling forward interest payments, or adjustment of the (a) 6 per cent. rate of return or (b) the valuation of capital stock; and if he will make a statement.

I have regular discussions with the chairmen of Welsh NHS trusts on a range of issues. Trusts have a duty to achieve their statutory financial targets.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairmen of the Welsh health authorities and trusts in relation to the timing of the opening of letters from general practitioners to consultants marked urgent and very urgent for triage by (a) others or (b) the consultants themselves; and what analysis he has made of the impact of setting maximum periods for the opening of general practitioner's referral letters.

I have not discussed these matters with the chairmen of Welsh health authorities and trusts, nor have I considered assessing the impact of such targets.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate how many jobs in his Department, transferred to Glasgow under the dispersal programme, have subsequently been re-allocated elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

Some 1,400 jobs were transferred to Glasgow on dispersal in 1986. Of these, some 63 jobs in the directorate of contracts have been moved to collocate with the single-service directorates they support at Andover, Brampton and Bath.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) of 1 July, Official Report, column 764, if he will state the latest valuation of the official service residences and the annual running costs of the residences.

It is, of course, not feasible to value properties accurately without placing them on the open market. My Department does, however, assign estimated sale valuations where possible and the latest valuation for official service residences is approximately £34,000,000. This valuation covers 67 of the 77 residences in the United Kingdom and overseas. Not all properties have a valuation assigned to them as some are located within defence establishments and could not be sold separately, whilst others belong to foreign Governments. Annual running costs for individual residences are not held centrally, but the total maintenance and furniture and equipment costs for the last two financial years for all residences is approximately £5,000,000. The annual cost for domestic and household staff for all residences is approximately £5,000,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what occasions in the last 10 years he or a Minister in his Department has given a direction to civil servants to award a contract against the advice of the civil service; what was the subject matter of the contract and its value; and when it was awarded.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces on 10 March 1994, Official Report, column 401, and 22 March 1994, Official Report, column 174, which list the occasions when a formal direction has been given, five of which related to the award of a contract. The value of individual contracts is commercial-in-confidence information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what was the cost of conducting the public inquiry into the Birmingham northern relief road which concluded in 1988;(2) what stage the 1988 Birmingham northern relief road inquiry reached; and what happened to the report from that inquiry.

These questions relate to matters which are now the responsibility of the Highways Agency; the chief executive will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to publish the report of the public inquiry into the Birmingham north relief road in 1988.

None. The draft orders which were the subject of the inquiry have been withdrawn and the report would not be relevant to the scheme now proposed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 29 June, Official Report, columns 632–34, if he will list each scheme for which an environmental impact assessment has been started.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 28 June, Official Report, column 478–80, what changes have been made in the method used to calculate confirmed fire incidents on London Underground in any of the years since 1990; and when these changes were applied.

The method of calculation has not been changed since 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 28 June, Official Report, columns 478–80, why no figures are available for confirmed fire incidents on London Underground before 1990.

Only figures from 1990 onwards are readily accessible from London Underground's database. Since 1988, Her Majesty's railway inspectorate has published some data on fires in its annual reports on railway safety, which are held in the House Libraries, but this is not in a format directly comparable with that already provided, and does not separately identify escalator fires.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with London Underground concerning fire safety precautions on London Underground rolling stock, how often checks are made on the fire safety of London Underground rolling stock; and if he will publish the content of those discussions.

I have regular meetings with London Underground to discuss a variety of issues, including safety. It is not our practice to disclose the content of such discussions, which are confidential to the participants. All London Underground trains are subject to routine maintenance procedures of which safety checks and inspections form an integral part. These include visual inspections of all fire extinguishers, emergency lighting, emergency exits and tests of train safety systems, such as passenger alarms, after every 24 hours of service. Further, more comprehensive, checks are made over longer periods.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 28 June, Official Report, columns 478–80, regarding fires on the London Underground; if he will provide equivalent figures for British Rail, Network SouthEast to 30 March 1994.

The information is not readily available in the form requested. During the eight years of Network SouthEast's existence, accidents were reported, until about mid 1993, under BR regional headings, making direct retrieval of NSE data impracticable.National figures are available in the HM railway inspectorate's annual reports, copies of which are in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 28 June, Official Report, columns 478–80, how many of the confirmed fire incidents, for each of the years for which figures are available, involved rolling stock that was in use; whether any passengers were using the rolling stock during any of those incidents; and how many passengers were involved in each confirmed fire incident on London Underground rolling stock.

Summary information on the total numbers of rolling stock fires and of passenger injuries on London Underground is published in the annual reports of Her Majesty's railways inspectorate on railway safety, which are held in the House Libraries. However, London Underground has advised that the further information requested is not readily available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 28 June, Official Report, column 478–80, how many passengers were injured in fires on London Underground, in all categories; and how many staff were injured on London Underground in each of the years for which figures are available.

Summary information on passenger and staff injuries is published in the annual reports of Her Majesty's railways inspectorate, which are held in the House Libraries. However, London Underground has advised that a breakdown of the causes of such injuries to the level of detail requested is not readily available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the cost to London Underground of the passengers charter in each of the last three years; and what discussions he has held with London Underground about them.

Production and distribution of the customer charter cost London Underground £114,000 in 1992, £248,000 in 1993, and £130,000 in 1994, I regularly discuss a wide range of issues with London Underground.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish London Underground's customer satisfaction figures for 1993–94, indicating which targets were, and which were not, met; and when he last met London Underground to discuss the figures.

London Underground met all its customer satisfaction targets for 1993–4, and the figures are set out in the following table. I regularly discuss a wide range of issues with London Underground.

London Underground Limited: 1993–94 Customer satisfaction statistics
	Targets set for 1993–94	Overall performance for year 1993–94
Cleanliness of trains	81	85
Cleanliness of stations	89	90
Staff helpfulness and availability	86	88
Information on trains	86	93
Information on stations	81	83
Ticket purchasing	92	92

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he had with London Underground about the passengers charter, published on 28 June; what consideration was given to including references to fire or accident safety on the London Underground; and what plans there are to include references to these matters in the charter.

I regularly discuss a wide range of issues with London Underground. Its 1994 charter includes a new target for customer satisfaction with safety and security.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with London Underground about lowering ticket prices to encourage tourism and inward investment in the capital.

I regularly discuss a wide range of issues with London Underground. However I am not aware of any proposals by London Underground to reduce its ticket prices.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with London Underground regarding the installation of help points at all London Underground stations; and by what year such installations will be complete.

I regularly discuss a wide range of issues with London Underground. The programme for installation of help points at underground stations is a matter for it, but I understand that no date has been set for all stations to be so equipped.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list the statutory controls currently applied to vehicle exhaust emissions;(2) what representations he has received concerning the level of pollutants resulting from motor vehicle exhaust emissions;(3) what consultations his Department has undertaken concerning the level of pollutants resulting from motor vehicle exhaust emissions;

Regulations made under the Road Traffic Act 1988 control the construction and "type approval" of new vehicles and the use of vehicles as regards exhaust emissions. These are largely derived directly from obligations under EC directives. Enforcement of in-use requirements through the MOT and roadworthiness test is effected under vehicle testing regulations made under the 1988 Act. A convenient summary of emission requirements to be met by new vehicles entering into service can be found in the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1993 (SI No. 1993 No. 2199).The Department receives regular representations from Members and from the public at large on the effects of vehicle pollutants on the environment and health. The Department is also liaising closely with the Departments of Health and Environment on studies which they have commissioned on these matters.The Department is actively involved with other member states and the European Commission in developing a range of measures at EC level to further reduce vehicle pollutants. Existing controls on emissions will be tightened in 1996 for all vehicles in use. Also in 1996, new heavy diesel powered vehicles will be required to meet more stringent emission standards, as will new cars and vans in 1997 under EC directives already agreed.The Department has also taken a leading role in the EU with a number of initiatives aimed at further improvements in vehicle emissions. These include improved in-service measures to reduce diesel smoke and particulate emissions; the adoption of "on-vehicle" emission diagnostic systems to promote rapid repairs and permit effective roadside enforcement and during the annual test; and new test procedures for new vehicle approvals, to be combined with reduced emission limits, to more adequately reflect actual on-road behaviour and to take maximim advantage of emerging vehicle technology.These measures form an integral part of a series being considered by the European Commission that will be applied to all classes of vehicle by the year 2000. In the light of the DoH and DOE sponsored studies currently underway, the Department will also be encouraging the Commission to propose emission standards in line with the advice given. Nevertheless, as a result of measures already in place, we are already set to see a marked and progressive decline in pollutants from motor vehicles that will extend well into the next decade.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with other European Transport Ministers regarding the provision of safe and effective metro systems.

My right hon. Friend regularly discusses a wide range of issues with European colleagues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who is responsible for the maintenance of the verges of the Coventry eastern bypass.

The Highways Agency is responsible for the general maintenance of the verges of the Coventry eastern bypass. This is carried out by Warwickshire county council as maintenance agent for the agency. Litter clearance is the responsibility of Rugby district council and Coventry city council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the role of the DSA's service in the national network of driving test centres.

Responsibility for the subject of this question has been delegated to the Driving Standards Agency under its chief executive Dr. S. J. Ford. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what statutory requirements or guidance exists regarding speed and distance limitations for reversing heavy goods vehicles involved in road maintenance or repair work.

There are no statutory requirements governing the speed or distance of reversing vehicles. However, the highway code says that drivers should reverse with care, and if they cannot see clearly, they should get someone to guide them. This is particularly relevant for large vehicles.On road maintenance and repair work, as on other contract work, contractors are bound by health and safety legislation to assess the risk to staff and others of the work activities and to produce safe working procedures to minimise any risk. In certain circumstances, limitations may be placed under the contract on the distance which vehicles are allowed to reverse for operational reasons; and it is normal to have a maximum speed limit through the site.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to require heavy goods vehicles to be fitted with reversing alarms, reversing lights or be accompanied by a pedestrian look-out when reversing.

Reversing alarms may be fitted as an aid to safety on heavy goods vehicles over 2 tonnes gross weight and to other categories of vehicles where the driver's vision might be obscured by the size or shape of the vehicle. Reversing lamps are permitted on all vehicles.The prime responsibility for ensuring that reversing is carried out safely rests with the driver. The clear advice given in the highway code should be followed: drivers should reverse with care, and if they cannot see clearly, they should get someone to guide them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how he now envisages the crossrail project being taken forward; and if he will make a statement.

In view of the fact that the private Bill originally promoted by London Underground and British Rail cannot now be progressed, I have agreed with the promoters that they should instead seek powers for the project under the Transport and Works Act 1992. They will start work on this at once. It remains the Government's policy that the project should be financed as a joint venture, with a substantial private sector contribution.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the figures for carbon dioxide emissions resulting from transport in the United Kingdom in each year since 1990; and what is (a) the estimate and (b) the Government target for 2000.

The figures for carbon dioxide emissions resulting from transport are:

Year	Emission/MtC1
1990	33
1991	33
1992	33
1993	2—
1Data from "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics (DoE 1994)
Million tonnes of Carbon emitted by source.
2No data as yet available.

"Climate Change—The UK Programme" published in January 1994 sets out how the Government intend to fulfil their Rio commitments and return emissions to their 1990 levels by 2000. Measures were identified in the programme to reduce projected emissions in 2000 by 10MtC to meet this aim. In the transport sector emissions in 2000 were forecast to be 36·5 MtC; annual increases in fuel duty of at least 5 per cent. above inflation are expected to reduce this level by about 2·5 MtC.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what occasions in the last 10 years he or a Minister in his Department has given a direction to civil servants to award a contract against the advice of the civil service; what was the subject matter of the contract and its value; and when it was awarded.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultation he has had with the chairman of Railtrack and the Health and Safety Commission concerning the instituting of an independent testing procedure for non-signalmen or taking control of panel boxes during periods of industrial dispute.

The duty to ensure the competence of employees to carry out safety critical work rests with the employer, under the Railways (Safety Critical Work) Regulations 1994.The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate has carried out checks to ensure that Railtrack, as the employer of signalmen, allows only competent persons to take charge of panel boxes during periods of industrial dispute. The railway inspectorate will continue to carry out checks, as necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies his Department has made of the comparative costs of road resurfacing as between conventional asphalt surfaces and porous asphalt; what plans he has for a further use of porous asphalt in order to reduce road noise; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 20 June 1994]: This question concerning road surfacings is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to my right hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the number of Department of Environment typists used by the Highways Agency; and what is the total cost per year of this.

As this is a matter for the Highways Agency, I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Lady direct.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish tables showing the current loan debt of each Scottish local authority in respect of their (a) general services capital programmes, (b) housing accounts and (c) other accounts, including those to which specific grant is paid; if in the case of (a) he will express this in terms of (i) total debt, (ii) annual repayment charges and (iii) annual cost to each eligible council tax payer; if in the case of (b) he will express this in terms of (i) total debt, (ii) annual repayment charges and (iii) annual burden on each tenant of that authority; if in the case of (c) he will specify the name of the account or programme and express the current fiscal situation in terms of (i) total debt, (ii) annual repayment charges and (iii) annual burden on each relevant individual; and if he will make a statement.

The tables give the latest available information separately for general fund services—excluding domestic sewerage—housing revenue account, water and sewerage services. Footnotes to the tables explain the source and derivation of the figures shown. Loan charges on general fund services are taken into account in the distribution of aggregate external finance to individual local authorities and the level of each authority's debt on these services has little or no effect on the level of council tax.

General Fund
	Capital debt1 outstanding at 31 March 1993 (excluding domestic sewarage) (£000)	Loan charges2 1993–94 (excluding domestic sewerage) (£000)
Scotland	4,301,088	652,406
Borders	77,820	11,781
Central	127,988	19,262
Dumfries and Galloway	93,410	13,489
Fife	187,636	27,392
Grampian	304,285	45,652
Highland	181,661	27,276
Lothian	423,144	65,043
Strathclyde	1,268,029	193,542
Tayside	177,980	29,514
Orkney	0	6,565
Shetland	0	7,350
Western Isles	86,210	14,061