To ask the Lord President of the Council, pursuant to his answer of 29 June, Official Report, column 628, if he will make an assessment of the suitability to current conditions of the Ten o'clock rule.

Although I am having discussions with the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Brown) about the sittings of the House, I do not envisage putting forward proposals to change Ten o'clock as the normal end to the main parliamentary day. Nor was such a change envisaged in the report of the Select Committee on Sittings of the House, though it was an aim of that report's proposals that Members should more frequently be able to leave for their constituencies after about seven o'clock on Thursdays.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what estimate he has made of the cost to the BBC of digitising its television archives.

None. The format in which the BBC keeps its archives is a matter for the corporation.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 31 March, Official Report, column 976, if he will list the items of work which English Heritage indicated needed to be carried out within six months of its report on Longford hall, Stretford, to maintain the building in its then existing condition; which works were carried out; and which were not.

Works carried out to Longford hall by Trafford metropolitan borough council in December 1993 to January 1994 comprised structural repairs to the Derby room and the south-east corner of the building, repairs to the roof, gutters and drainpipes, rot treatment of walls and floors within the basement to the rear of the original building and the ground floor above and the insertion of ventilation grilles and the removal of debris. Security works were also carried out last year. These were the only works of those in English Heritage's report dated 9 June 1993 which related to the original building and which were also necessary to preserve that part of the building pending a decision by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on its future.

To ask the Prime Minister on what occasion prior to November 1991 he was present at functions where Mr. Gordon McNally was present.

None, so far as I am aware.

To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has held about the Department of Transport's proposed efficiency savings for the Coastguard Service; and if he will make a statement.

I have had no such discussions. However, as I stated on 7 July 1994, Official Report, column 446, in response to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood), my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport has discussed with the chief executive of the Coastguard Agency the proposals he put forward in response to my right hon. Friend's target, that the Department as a whole should achieve a 20 per cent. efficiency gain. My right hon. Friend has not yet taken any decisions on these proposals.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 12 July.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 12 July.

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

To ask the Prime Minister which organisations, agencies and other bodies relating to his departmental area of responsibility have been privatised since 1990; and what plans he has for further privatisation.

None of the organisations, agencies or other bodies under my departmental responsibility have been privatised since 1990. Plans for privatisation involving my departments will be considered on their merits as part of a prior options exercise and the results will be announced as appropriate.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the answer of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of 20 June, Official Report, column 11, if he will make a statement on discussions at the G7 summit in relation to nuclear technical assistance to the Government of the Ukraine.

I refer the hon. Member to my statement on the Group of Seven summit in Naples on 11 July 1994, Official Report, columns 667–69.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the former hon. Members who were defeated in the last two general elections who have since become members of quangos and other organisations to which the Government nominates; and if he will state the organisation to which the former hon. Members were nominated, the duties undertaken and the salary.

This information is not held centrally.

To ask the Prime Minister how many overseas visits have been made in 1994 by Ministers; during how many of them Ministers participated in fund-raising activities for the Conservative party; who were those Ministers; and in which countries those activities took place.

[holding answer 4 July 1994]: As far as I am aware, Ministers made 287 overseas visits in their official capacity between 1 January and 30 June 1994. None of those was undertaken for purposes of fundraising for the Conservative party. No central record is kept of any occasions on which Ministers may have attended fundraising events which were incidental to their visit.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what specific measures he is taking to improve the forecasting of numbers and particular expertise needed at different levels of the judiciary.

Circuits will be required to identify the number of vacancies which are expected to arise a year in advance of the financial year in which they will occur. Based on changes in work load, retirements and other factors they will be expected to identify the number

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what percentage of (a) High Court judges, (b) circuit judges and (c) district judges in office on 31 March had served in the present posts at this level (i) for less than a year, (ii) for less than five years, (iii) for more than 10 years and (iv) for 20 years or more.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many responses he has received to his consultation paper "Developments in Judicial Appointments Procedures".

Some 22 responses had been received as at 7 July 1994.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the total number of judges serving at 31 March as (a) High Court judges, (b) circuit judges, (c) district judges, (d) masters and registrars of the Supreme Court and district judges of the principal registry of the family division, (e) metropolitan stipendiary magistrates, (f) provincial stipendiary magistrates, (g) recorder and (h) assistant recorders; and how many in each are (i) part-time appointments, (ii) women, (iii) black and (iv) Asian.

The number of office holders as at 31 March 1994 is set out in the table. All the posts listed are full time except recorders and assistant recorders. The figures for black or Asian office-holders are believed to be correct, but arrangements for the formal recording of the ethnic origin of applicants for judicial office only began on 1 October 1991, so such information may be incomplete. In any event, the figures do not include those of other ethnic minority origin.

The information relating to 31 March is not readily available. However, the percentages for the different periods of service, together with, in brackets, the relevant number of judges, as at 6 July 1994 is set out in the table below. Column B includes the figures in column A. Similarly, column C includes the figures in column D. Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole figure.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many judges have retired on health grounds since June 1979.

There have been 48 such retirements since June 1979.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what consideration he is giving to the suggestion of the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice that judicial performance should be more closely monitored.

The Royal Commission's recommendations numbered 249 and 251 remain under active consideration by the Lord Chancellor in consultation with the senior judiciary and the chairman of the Judicial Studies Board. The recommendations have to be set in the context of the essential constitutional principle of the independence of the judiciary from the Executive and from each other. Any measures taken must have full regard to this overriding principle. The Government will respond to these two recommendations when their consideration of these difficult issues is complete.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the expected number of working days per year for each category of judge in England and Wales.

District judges are expected to sit 215 or more days per year. Circuit judges are expected to sit 210 or more days per year. High Court judges and judges of the Court of Appeal usually sit throughout the legal terms, 189 days, but may well sit outside those times. There is no expected number of working days for the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what parallel category of civil servants is used by the Top Salaries Review Body as a relevant basis for considering salary scales for the judiciary.

Under the revised terms of reference which were introduced in July 1993 at its request, the Senior Salaries Review Body is required, when making recommendations, to have regard to the need to maintain broad linkages between the remuneration of the three main remit groups, while allowing sufficient flexibility to take account of the circumstance of each group.The two linkages which presently exist between the judiciary and the senior civil service are between High Court judges and civil servants at grade 1 level, and between the Cabinet Secretary and the Lord Chief Justice.In its 1994 report, the SSRB recommended that the practice of offering identical salaries across the remit groups should be discontinued in future years provided that, in accordance with its terms of reference, the review body ensures that a broad linkage is maintained. The Government have accepted that recommendation.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary., Lord Chancellor's Department (1) under what circumstances a member of the judiciary can be dismissed;(2) how many members of the judiciary have been dismissed

The independence of the judiciary is a fundamental principle of the constitution and is protected by the provisions governing judicial tenure. Lords of Appeal in Ordinary and Supreme Court judges may be removed by Her Majesty only on an address presented by both Houses of Parliament. Circuit judges may be removed by the Lord Chancellor on the grounds of incapacity or misbehaviour. The statutory provisions governing the removal from office of other members of the judiciary vary, but in general relate similarly to incapacity or misbehaviour, or the equivalent. One circuit judge was removed from office on the ground of misbehaviour in 1983. No other instance of removal from full-time judicial office since 1965 is known.Given the independence of the judiciary, it is not generally open to the Lord Chancellor to comment on, or intervene in, decisions or comments made, or the conduct of legal proceedings, by a judge in the exercise of his judicial functions. The appropriate recourse in relation to such matters lies in the available processes of appeal or review. Subject to this overriding principle, where a question about the conduct of a judicial office holder is raised with the Lord Chancellor, he may see fit to seek the comments of the office holder concerned before considering what, if any, course of action he should take within the powers available to him.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) what was the total number of judges serving in all categories as of 31 March;(2) what was the total number of judges serving in all categories employed

The total number of full-time judges at 31 March 1994 is set out in the following table:

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what information he has on the social class origins of current members of the judiciary.

No information is held on the social class origins of current members of the judiciary. Aggregated information relating to the educational background of the judiciary is not readily available. The Lord Chancellor's policy is to appoint to judicial office, entirely on merit, those who satisfy the relevant statutory conditions for appointments and are considered best qualified to fill the posts.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many judges currently serving would, if they retired at 70 years of age, leave after fewer than 20 years' service.

The table sets out the numbers of judges in office on 6 July 1994 who would have served in full-time judicial office in the United Kingdom for fewer than 20 years if they were to retire on their 70th birthday and, in the case of those already over 70, the numbers who had completed fewer than 20 years service by that date. The figures take into account previous service in other full-time judicial offices in this country, except in the case of serving circuit judges where information relating to earlier service is not readily available. The total numbers of judges in post on 6 July 1994 are shown in brackets.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what specific measures he is taking to increase the number of judges moving from the High Court family division to the Court of Appeal.

Appointments to the Court of Appeal are made by the Queen on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. Before making his recommendations, the Prime Minister receives advice from the Lord Chancellor. The Lord Chancellor's advice on appointments to the Court of Appeal is based on the operational needs of the Court of Appeal and the suitability of the available candidates. He does not envisage special measures to increase the number of judges promoted to the Court of Appeal from the family division of the High Court.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to abolish judicial tenure.

None. The role of the judiciary is to administer justice in accordance with the laws of England and Wales without fear or favour, affection or ill will. In order to do so, judges must be independent. Security of tenure for the judiciary as established by the Act of Settlement and subsequent statutory provisions is essential in maintaining and supporting the principle of judicial independence.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) if he will list the publications which will carry judicial advertisements; and on what basis those national publications will be chosen;(2) when he expects to report on the results of his consultation on the judicial appointments system;

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to him on 4 July, Official Report, column 1. The consultation paper "Developments in Judicial Appointments Procedures" proposes that the interview panel's recommendations will constitute only one element of the information which the Lord Chancellor will have at his disposal, but that it will be a valuable and important one to which he will attach appropriate weight. The consultation paper also emphasises the Lord Chancellor's commitment to the continuation of the systematic collection of views and opinions about candidates and their work from a wide spread of judges and senior practitioners who are in a position to assess them. No decision has yet been taken in respect of the publications in which any advertisements might appear.The Lord Chancellor is now considering the responses received to the consultation paper and will make an announcement as soon as practicable.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many (a) High Court judges, (b) circuit judges and (c) district judges in office on 31 March received university education at Oxford or Cambridge.

Aggregated information relating to the university background of judges is not readily available, but the results of a special exercise carried out last year showed that at 1st January 1993, 68–81 per cent.—of the then 84 High Court judges had attended Oxford or Cambridge universities. The special exercise showed that the equivalent figure for the then 482 circuit judges was 261—54 per cent. The survey did not extend to district judges.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what considerations underlie his proposal that judges should serve 20 years to qualify for a pension.

The requirement that judges should serve 20 years to qualify for full pension benefits is contained in the new pensions scheme under the Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act 1993. This is to allow the judicial pension scheme to conform to the taxation requirements which now apply to all other private and public sector pension schemes as a result of the Finance Acts 1987 and 1989 and the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many judges have retired on health grounds with fewer than 20 years' service since (a) June 1979 and (b) April 1992.

There have been 47 such retirements since June 1979, of which four have taken place since April 1992. These figures refer to Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, judges of the Supreme Court, circuit judges and district judges.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the pay scale of each category of judge in England and Wales.

The salaries of the judges in England and Wales are as follows:

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many barristers have declined to become High Court judges in each of the last 10 years.

The numbers of barristers who have declined to allow their names to be recommended to Her Majesty the Queen for immediate appointment to the High Court bench in England and Wales in recent years are set out below. All those who declined, with one exception, have made it clear that they hope to be considered again for appointment to the High Court bench in the future. Numbers before 1988 are not readily available.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what legislative action would be necessary for the changes he announced on 7 July 1993 to the judicial appointment system to take effect.

None.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what specific consideration he is giving to the establishment of a judicial appointments commission.

None. It remains the Government's view that the establishment of such a commission would impair direct ministerial accountability to Parliament for judicial appointments. Moreover, the Government have yet to hear any convincing argument that the quality of those appointed by a Commission would be likely to be any better than that of those appointed under present arrangements.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many of each category of judge in office on 31 March were (a) under 50, (b) 51 to 60, (c) 60 to 70 and (d) over 70 years of age.

The information relating to 31 March is not readily available. The information as at 6 July 1994 is set out in the table below. The age bands have been adjusted in the table to prevent double counting.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many (a) High Court judges, (b) circuit judges and (c) district judges in office at 31 March were appointed (i) as a result of promotion within the judiciary, (ii) as practising barristers, (iii) as practising solicitors and (iv) after serving on the High Court family division.

Thirteen of the 95 High Court judges in office on 31 March 1994 were appointed as a result of promotion within the full-time judiciary. One was previously an Advocate-General at the Court of Justice of the European Communities. The remaining 81 were appointed from the Bar, including two barristers who were not in private practice. One Chancery division judge and five Queen's bench division judges had previously served as judges in the family division of the High Court.The complete information relating to circuit judges is not readily available. Of the 510 circuit judges in office on 31 March 1994, 450 had been barristers and 60 had been solicitors: these figures include those who were appointed to the circuit bench from other full-time judicial offices.No district judges in office on 31 March 1994 were appointed as a result of promotion within the full-time judiciary. Of the 308 district judges then in office, including district judges of the principal registry of the family division, 296 were appointed from solicitors, including academic and employed solicitors, and 12 from the practising Bar.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has received following his proposals that judges will have to serve 20 years to qualify for a pension.

The requirement that judges should serve 20 years to qualify for full pension benefits is introduced by the Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act 1993. Responses to the proposals in the consultation paper issued before the passing of the 1993 Act were received from the following groups or individuals, in order of receipt:

• The President of the Pension Appeal Tribunal
• The Judge Advocate General
• The President of Social Security Appeal Tribunals and Medical Appeal Tribunals
• The Council of Her Majesty's Circuit Judges
• Sir Bryan Roberts KCMG
• The Senior Master, Queen's Bench Division
• The Chief Metropolitan Stipendiary Magistrate
• The President of Industrial Tribunals
• The Senior District Judge, Family Division
• His Honour Judge Micklem
• The Association of District Judges
• The Provincial Stipendiary Magistrates
• The Judges' Council
• The Top Salaries Review Body
• The Chief Taxing Master
• The Chief Chancery Master
• The Master of the Court of Protection
• The Chief Social Security Commissioner
• The Chief Immigration Adjudicator
• The General Council of the Bar
• The Law Society

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many copies of his consultation paper "Developments in Judicial Appointments Procedures" were sent to laypersons, as defined in the paper itself.

Approximately 700 copies of the consultation paper have been distributed to organisations and individuals including the National Consumer Council, the National Association of Citizens' Advice Bureaux, the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Commission for Racial Equality. Copies were also sent to any who requested them from my Department. It is not possible to determine how many of these are not lawyers.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many solicitors have been appointed to the High Court bench since section 71 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 came into force.

Since section 71 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 came into force on 1 January 1991, one solicitor, who was a serving circuit judge, has been appointed to the High Court bench.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what responsibilities he has relating to legal training.

The Lord Chancellor's role is governed by the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990. Under that Act, amendments made by authorised bodies to their rules and regulations require the approval of the Lord Chancellor and the four designated judges. The Lord Chancellor is also required to approve applications under section 55 of the 1990 Act—preparation of probate papers—and, in doing so, must be satisfied about the arrangements for training.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to hold elections for any judicial posts.

None. The Government do not believe that election would provide a suitable basis for appointment or be compatible with the principle of judicial independence. The Lord Chancellor's proposals for developments in the judicial appointments system were set out in a recent consultation paper. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to him on 4 July, Official Report, column 1.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which organisations, agencies and other bodies relating to his departmental area of responsibility have been privatised since 1990; and what plans he has for further privatisation.

None. A number of the functions of the departments, agencies and other bodies for which the Lord Chancellor is responsible are currently under review. Privatisation will be considered as one of a range of possible options. At present, no firm plans have been made concerning any of the functions under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the immigration or residency status of Colonel Tony Nyiam and Great Ogboru, formerly of Nigeria; what requests he received in respect of the extradition of those individuals following the failed military coup in Nigeria in 1990; and if he will make a statement.

It is not our normal policy to disclose information relating to a person's immigration status, but no extradition requests in respect of these two individuals have been received.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the cost of the May inquiry into the Guildford and Woolwich bombings.

The total reported costs of this inquiry, as at 7 July, is £2,150,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will ask the Parole Board to reconsider its position regarding a release date for Ms Humphreys;(2) what representation he has received concerning the case of Ms Emma Humphreys who is currently serving a life sentence at Holloway prison;(3) what consultations he has had with the Parole Board about its recent refusal to grant Ms Humphreys a date for release or to move her to an open prison.

It is not the practice of the Secretary of State to consult the independent Parole Board when the board decides not to recommend the release or the transfer to open prison conditions of a prisoner serving the mandatory life sentence for murder. The Secretary of State has not consulted the Parole Board in the case of Ms Humphreys and sees no grounds for asking the Parole Board to reconsider its recent decision in her case. A further Parole Board review of her suitability for release will begin in May 1995.From time to time, the Secretary of State has received representations about the safety of Ms Humphreys's conviction for murder. Those representations have not provided sufficient grounds for him to refer her case to the Court of Appeal under section 17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968. Representations made by Ms Humphreys concerning her release on life licence were considered by the Parole Board when it last reviewed her case in May 1994.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in how many towns and cities there are known to be proposals to introduce closed circuit television for crime prevention;(2) how many city centres now have closed circuit television for crime prevention; and what is his assessment of its effectiveness.

The most recent information available indicates that across the United Kingdom there are 220 CCTV schemes either in operation or planned. Local assessments show that CCTV systems have been extremely effective in reducing crime and the fear of crime in a number of areas, particularly when they have formed part of a package of crime prevention measures. A current Home Office study of the effectiveness of the Birmingham city centre system is being extended to include schemes in other areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to diminish waiting times for asylum seekers.

With the implementation of the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 last July, procedures have been streamlined and decision times reduced for applications received after implementation, which are being given priority. The new procedures and the level of applications are being closely monitored.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has made for the Vietnamese refugees in response to the Home Office report on refugees and asylum seekers;(2) what plans he has made in response to the Home Office report on refugees and asylum seekers.

The report of the first stage of the research into refugee settlement, which is currently being revised, does not contain specific policy recommendations. The report on the second stage, which includes Vietnamese refugees within its scope, is being prepared and has not yet been seen by Ministers. When completed, any findings which might have policy implications will receive careful consideration.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fires in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland, (d) England and (e) the United Kingdom as a whole occurred in houses or buildings which did not have smoke detectors in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

The year 1994 is the first year in which the Home Office has collected data on the presence or absence of a smoke alarm in a fire attended by a local authority fire brigade. Before 1994, the Home Office collected only whether or not the fire was discovered by a smoke alarm.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those convicted of driving without insurance received a fine of £5,000 last year.

The information available to me shows that no fines of £5,000 were imposed during 1992 for driving without insurance. Figures for 1993 are not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drivers have been disqualified from driving after having been convicted of driving without insurance in each of the last five years.

The following table gives the available information which relates to the number of convictions for driving without insurance in England and Wales, for which disqualification from driving was imposed. The number of persons involved is likely to be less because some may have been convicted for more than one of these offences.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) convicted and (b) remand prisoners are currently in custody from Wales (i) by county, (ii) by sex and (iii) in total.

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 how many representations he has received (a) in favour of and (b) against retaining the rank of chief superintendent within the police force; if he will make it his policy to retain the rank of chief superintendent; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's decision to abolish the rank of chief superintendent and reallocate the range of current responsibilities of that rank within a restructured single superintendent rank is opposed by the superintendents' associations. Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary supports the reform of the superintending rank, and the Association of Chief Police Officers favours the retention of the rank of chief inspector rather than that of chief superintendent.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which organisations, agencies and other bodies relating to his departmental area of responsibility have been privatised since 1990; and what plans he has for further privatisation.

DTELS—formerly the Directorate of Telecommunications—was sold to National Telecommunications Ltd. on 1 March 1994. Epsom, Kempton Park and Sandown Park racecourses were sold by the Horserace Betting Levy Board on 29 April 1994 to Racecourse Holdings Trust. There are no firm plans for further privatisations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provision he plans for the accommodation of young offenders in Wales following the decision to send offenders aged 12 years and over to secure units and to cease to send boys aged 15 and 16 years to prison; if he will make it his policy that such offenders will not be sent outside Wales; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 11 July 1994]: Five new secure training centres are to be established for the purpose of detaining those 12 to 14-year-old juveniles who may be sentenced to serve the new secure training order. The centres will hold offenders sentenced by the courts in England and Wales, but on present plans, none will be located in Wales.My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales has already announced a grant amounting to £5·1 million to meet the capital cost of a new local authority secure unit at Neath in west Glamorgan. In due course, it is intended that the unit should accommodate inter alios most 15 and 16-year-old juveniles residing in Wales who may in future be remanded to local authority accommodation with a security requirement instead of to a Prison Service establishment, as well as those whose detention is ordered under section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 and who it is decided should be held in child care establishments.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional resources the Government intend to make available to the police service to enable adequate training to be given to all police staff as a result of the enactments of the Police and Magistrates' Courts Bill and the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill.

[holding answer 11 July 1994]: It is for individual chief officers to arrange, out of normal police funds, for the training of their officers, having regard to any relevant changes in legislation. Any requirements for centrally produced training material will be considered within the Police Training Council.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the amounts spent by the police on training in all areas in each of the last five years at 1990 constant prices.

[holding answer 11 July 1994]: I regret that this information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 28 June, Official Report, column 492, what has been (a) the total number of newly built council homes and (b) that number as a percentage of the stock, in each council area for the period since 1 April 1979.

A table has been deposited in the Library showing the cumulative total of housebuilding completions for each local authority in England as reported by them for the period between 1 April 1979 and 31 March 1994. The table also shows this housebuilding as a percentage of the local authority dwelling stock reported as at 1 April 1993, and as estimated for 1 April 1979. Housing associations are now the main providers of new social housing.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been spent by the Local Government Commission to date on opinion polling; and what assessment he has made of the usefulness of such polling.

The cost of opinion polling carried out for the Local Government Commission during the course of its reviews is a matter for the commission itself, within its overall budget. It is also for the commission itself to determine the value of those public opinion surveys.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much the Local Government Commission has spent on direct communication with the public where it invites replies via freepost.

This is a matter for the Local Government Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what formula the Local Government Commission uses to assess the intangible costs and benefits of local government reconstruction in North Yorkshire.

Section 3 of the revised policy guidance which my Department issued to the Local Government Commission in November 1993 gives advice on the treatment of intangible costs and benefits. How the commission incorporates this advice into its recommendations on particular review areas is a matter for it.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many hours per week Sir John Banham devotes to the Local Government Commission.

The time commitment of the chairman varies from month to month, according to the demands of the review timetable. He works on average two days a week.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy prior to the issue of any variation order to authorisation AI 2813 of 17 November 1993 made under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and issued for the burning of Cemfuel that he will engage in consultations with the cement company.

I am advised by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution that the authorisation AI 2813 relates to the burning of Cemfuel at Castle Cement's Ribblesdale works. The HMIP is in consultation with the company over a variation to this authorisation. No variation has yet been issued.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in what circumstances an existing authorisation for the burning of Cemfuel might be subject to a variation order from Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution such that the burning of the fuel would again be put on a trial basis.

An existing authorisation for the burning of Cemfuel might be subject to a variation order from Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to put the burning onto a trial basis if, in the light of up-to-date experience, the conditions attached to the authorisation were seen not to provide sufficient information to monitor the environmental effects of the burning.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the second session of the intergovernmental committee of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity held in Nairobi in June.

The second meeting of the intergovernmental committee of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity took place in Nairobi from 20 June to 1 July 1994. Progress was made to prepare for the first meeting of the conference of the parties to be held in Nassau, the Bahamas from 28 November to 9 December 1994. The meeting reached consensus on important administrative and procedural issues for the conference of the parties, including most of the rules of procedure, a set of administrative financial rules and criteria for an open competition between organisations to host the permanent secretariat. Preliminary discussions took place on other substantive issues that the conference of the parties will consider, including the financial mechanism, biosafety, a clearing house mechanism and the scientific and technical subsidiary body.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the proportionate contribution of each category of waste arising to the total waste generated in the United Kingdom.

The table shows the best available estimates of waste arisings, by sector. Most of the estimates are very approximate, and relate to the period around 1990. It is not possible to update them on an annual basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment under what circumstances it is possible for a person to be an employee of a local authority to which he is, or may consider becoming, an elected member.

Under the provisions of section 80 of the Local Government Act 1972 a person who is employed by a local authority is disqualified from being elected to, or being a member of, that local authority. Under section 116, a person cannot be employed by an authority for 12 months after he or she ceases to be a member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the degree of influence which the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development has on (a) the World bank and (b) The International Monetary Fund.

At its meeting in May, the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development agreed to aim at a more fruitful co-operation with the Bretton Woods institutions to promote sustainable development through sound macro-economic policies and a favourable international economic environment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will urge the World Trade Organisation to allow the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development to be represented at meetings of its committee on trade and the environment.

The United Kingdom fully supports the case for admitting the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development as an observer to the committee on trade and environment, to be established in the World Trade Organisation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to amplify his advice to local planning authorities on sustainable development contained in PPG13; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend proposes to publish a good practice guide to PPG13 later this year. Together with the Department of Transport, my Department will also commission and publish research designed to improve our understanding of the relationship between transport and land use and will monitor the implementation of the policies contained in PPG13 through development plans, local transport policies and individual decisions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what steps his Department will take to mitigate the effect on tenants on low incomes of changes in housing association grant rates for 1995–96;(2) if he will make a statement regarding the changes in housing association grant rates for 1995–96.

Decisions on the housing association grant rates that will apply in 1995–96 have not yet been taken. Before reaching a decision, I shall carefully consider the implications of lower grant rates on a range of issues, including the likely impact on the rents that tenants have to pay.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many complaints he has received about the operation of the Mobile Homes Act 1983 through harassment by landlords.

From time to time, this Department receives letters from mobile home residents alleging harassment by site owners. Although we do not keep a numerical record of such complaints, they do not form a significant proportion of the correspondence we receive on mobile home issues. Harassment of an occupier of a mobile home can constitute a criminal offence under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he published his Department's most recent environmental protection group research newsletter; how many copies were printed; at what cost; and to whom it has been distributed or made available.

The 1994–95 environmental protection group research newsletter was first published in April 1994. To date, 800 copies have been printed, at a cost of £578·13. The newsletter is available on request and has been sent to organisations within both the public and private sector as well as to individual members of the public.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce a decision regarding council tax liability for severely mentally impaired people.

We are still considering this matter.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how he proposes to implement the national forest strategy; and if he will make a statement.

The national forest is an ambitious and imaginative environmental project to create a new forest in the heart of the country, in an area where much of the land has been despoiled by mineral working. The consultation exercise carried out earlier this year by the Countryside Commission confirmed that there is overwhelming local support for the venture. I am now announcing my intention to set up a new lead body to take the project forward.The establishment of this body marks a milestone towards achieving our manifesto commitment to development of the national forest. The forest will bring many benefits to the area through improved landscapes and other environmental benefits, economic and leisure opportunities. It is an excellent example of sustainable development—environmental improvement which will also bring economic regeneration. In the longer term the forest will provide a national asset of the same kind as the ancient forest of Dean or the New forest, to be enjoyed by future generations.The Countryside Commission national forest development team has provided a firm foundation for the new body to build on. The creation of the forest will require the participation of several partners, including the Forestry Commission, the Countryside Commission, local authorities and private landowners. A new independent body will be able to co-ordinate and promote new partnerships and act as a catalyst for local and national initiatives in the forest area.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he hopes to announce his decision on the Hastings Central Cricket and Recreation Ground Compulsory Purchase Order 1993.

My right hon. Friend announced today his decision to confirm the compulsory purchase order and to issue the associated certificate relating to exchange land.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what levels of borrowing have been undertaken by each urban development corporation in each year since 1981.

[holding answer 11 July 1994]: The level of borrowing undertaken by each urban development corporation in each year since 1981 is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total amount of urban and regeneration expenditure listed for each separate urban programme area in each year since 1980–81 at (a) cash prices and (b) current prices.

[holding answer 4 July 1994]: Tables showing urban programme expenditure in cash and current price terms will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will report on the progress of the private sector advisory forum; and what further plans he has for strategic contracting out of civil service functions.

The private sector forum met on 8 July to discuss issues emerging from the competing for quality programme. The forum provided an opportunity for the Government and the private sector to exchange experience on the progress of the competing for quality programme so far. No individual market tests were discussed, nor any specifics of Departments' future plans. We will be considering how to take these discussions forward with the private sector. I do not prejudge whether an activity should be contracted out strategically. For each activity which is examined in the competing for quality programme, a number of options, including abolition, privatisation, contracting out, market testing with an in-house bid, and securing in-house efficiencies are considered.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has received the report of the efficiency unit scrutiny of Government research establishments; and if he will ensure its publication before the end of July.

The report on the efficiency scrutiny of civil public sector research establishments was published yesterday, 11 July. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the full report of the efficiency unit's scrutiny of the use of consultants in Government Departments will be published; and whether the unit intends to draw up good practice guidance for Departments along the lines of that issued recently by the Audit Commission to local authorities.

The report of the efficiency unit's scrutiny on the Government's use of external consultants will be published shortly. It is a key task of the efficiency unit to disseminate "best practice" to Departments and agencies, and the scrutiny is likely to make recommendations which will assist in sharing and promoting good practice in the purchasing and managing of external consultancy.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which organisations, agencies and other bodies relating to his departmental area of responsibility have been privatised since 1990; and what plans he has for further privatisation.

None of the organisations, agencies or other bodies under my departmental responsibility has been privatised since 1990. Plans for privatisation involving my departments will be considered on their merits as part of a prior options exercise and the results will be announced as appropriate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the next steps that he will propose to the European Union for a resolution of the crisis in Greek-Macedonian relationships.

Member states of the European Union regularly discuss the dispute between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. We support the European Commission's action in referring to the European Court of Justice the unjustified trade restrictions placed by Greece on the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. We were disappointed by the Court's decision not to indicate interim measures, although the main case continues. We support the United Nations mediation process under Mr. Vance, and urge both parties to re-engage constructively in negotiations with him.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost of rejoining UNESCO might be if (a) the United Kingdom rejoined without the United States of America and (b) the United Kingdom and the United States of America both rejoined; what the benefits of rejoining might be; and if he will make a statement.

The annual cost of resumed United Kingdom membership of UNESCO would be around £8 million if the United States also rejoined, or £11 million if it did not. The principal benefit to the United Kingdom of rejoining UNESCO would be the enhancement of our ability to participate in the work of the organisation, but any benefit must be weighed against the financial costs. We keep the issue of resumption of membership under close review. No decision has yet been reached.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to offer protection to critics of the Government of China currently resident in Hong Kong after 1997.

The Sino-British joint declaration, which is a legally binding international treaty, provides that the rights and freedoms provided for by Hong Kong's present laws shall be maintained after 1 July 1997. Freedom of speech, freedom of the press and the freedom to demonstrate will remain protected.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will meet Mr. Han Dong Fan, chairman of the independent Chinese trade union movement, on his forthcoming visit to Britain.

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no plans to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what will be the United Kingdom Government's objectives at the world summit on social development.

Our objectives for the world summit on social development are to strengthen effective international cooperation and co-ordination around the three core issues of the summit, which are:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of the Falkland Islands about the ratification of the non-proliferation treaty of Tlatelolco.

The United Kingdom ratified the two additional protocols to the treaty for the prohibition of nuclear weapons in Latin America, treaty of Tlatelolco, on 11 December 1969. Under article 1 of additional protocol 1, the United Kingdom agreed to apply various articles of the treaty, including article 1—denuclearisation in respect of warlike purposes—in those territories for which it is internationally responsible within the treaty zone. This includes the Falkland Islands.Although there is no nuclear activity in the Falkland Islands, the Legislative Council of the islands, as required by the protocol, passed a Bill entitled "The Nuclear Safeguards Ordinance 1993" on 16 November 1993. This ordinance will give effect, in the Falklands, to an agreement between the United Kingdom, the IAEA and Euratom for the application of safeguards as envisaged in the treaty of Tlatelolco.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which organisations, agencies and other bodies relating to his departmental area of responsibility have been privatised since 1990; and what plans he has for further privatisation.

We have decided to privatise the Crown Agents for Overseas Governments and Administrations as an independent foundation (Cm 2376) and to study options for the future ownership of the Natural Resources Institute. A "Prior Options" study of Wilton Park executive agency will commence in September 1994.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list any provisions of the treaty for enlargement of the European Union signed in Corfu on 24 June which change the powers, constitution, or procedures of the institutions of the European Communities other than by changes of numbers.

The following provisions in the treaty of accession change the powers, constitution or procedures of the institutions of the European Communities other than by numerical change to allow for the representation of the new member states in these institutions:

Article 2(2) of the treaty gives the Council (acting unanimously) power to decide upon indispensable adjustments in the case that not all the applicant states deposit their instruments of ratification in due time.

Article 12 of the Act of Accession alters the second paragraph of the EC Treaty and the corresponding Articles of the other Community Treaties, to give the Council (acting unanimously) power to determine the order in which the office of the President shall be held by each member state.

Articles 154, 155, 156 and 157 of the Act of Accession give the European Parliament, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Justice respectively, powers to make such adaptations to their rules of procedure as are rendered necessary by accession.

Article 4 of Protocol 8 to the Act of Accession gives the European Parliament the power to verify the credentials of representatives elected to the Parliament in the Member States in the period between ratification of the Treaty and its entry into force.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made on behalf of the United Kingdom Government to the Government of Canada, concerning conservation in Clayoquot sound.

[holding answer 8 July 1994]: The decision on land use in the Clayoquot sound area of Vancouver Island was for the Government of British Columbia to make. The Canadian Government and the British Columbia authorities are well aware of public concern in the United Kingdom about logging in the Clayoquot sound region.

To ask the Secretaryof State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what study Her Majesty's Government have been making with the European Commission of late to the expansion of waterways allowing Bolivia access to the Atlantic; and what help is being given through EC sources or directly.

The Mercosur countries—Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay—and Bolivia are working together to design the Hidrovias project to re-condition the navigation and port facilities along a stretch of waterways between Caceres in Brazil and Nueva Palmira in Uruguay. They have approached the European Community for assistance in implementation. Following the agreement between the Hidrovia intergovernmental committee and the Inter-American Development bank, the Commission is considering a request to meet the costs of technical feasibility studies for development of ports, incluing Puerto Bush and Puerto Quijarro in Bolivia.We have not been involved in these activities bilaterally, but will play an active role in discussions in Brussels of the proposals.