To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list each public opinion survey commissioned by (a) his Department and (b) his agencies since 1 October 1992, showing for each the subject, objectives, total cost, the period in which it was conducted and the organisation from which it was commissioned.

My Department commissioned a survey of public attitudes to the reform of the ground for divorce and procedures. This survey forms part of the Government's wider consultation on these matters and was conducted by Market and Opinion Research International Ltd. during the first quarter of 1994. A national survey of court users was commissioned from PAS Ltd. In August 1994 to gauge customer satisfaction levels in the court service and to help inform the formulation of standards for future courts charters. The cost of these surveys is regarded as commercially confidential.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he intends to introduce legislation to provide for commonhold tenure.

The Government intend to introduce this legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many public appointments (a) he is responsible for making and (b) require his approval including those not listed in "Public Bodies"; and if he will give this figure in terms of (i) appointments to executive bodies, (ii) appointments to advisory bodies and (iii) other appointments.

The Lord Chancellor is responsible for making:

• 14 appointments to executive bodies;
• 2,061 appointments to advisory bodies; and
• 20 other appointments.

He is responsible for approving 11 appointments to an advisory body.This answer does not cover judicial appointments, the 223 quasi-judicial justices' clerks in the magistrates courts or ecclesiastical appointments. The figure for appointments to advisory bodies include 104 appointments to rule committees, where some of the membership is laid down by statute.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how the Government intend to implement recommendation 17 of the 1994 report of the Senior Salaries Review Body.

Recommendation 17 of the 1994 report of the Senior Salaries Review Body is that the Government should seek to achieve the salary levels for the judiciary proposed in the 1992 report of the Top Salaries Review Body, plus regular uprating, by 1 April 1999. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced the findings of the Senior Salaries Review Body on 3 February 1994, Official Report, columns 848-49. The Government have decided that the recommended salary levels should be achieved by spreading the increase evenly over the next five financial years, starting with 1 April 1995 and on 1 April thereafter to 1 April 1999.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on market testing in the Army Base Repair Organisation.

A pilot market test of 18 Base Workshops at Bovington was won by the in-house bid team earlier this year. Since then, the Army Base Repair Organisation has completed a study which has concluded that there remains an excess of workshop capacity which needs to be addressed. This overcapacity results from a range of factors including the reorganisation of work load following earlier rationalisation, a reduction in the amount of equipment in the Army, increased reliability of modern equipment and improved repair techniques. The study has recommended that activity at the base workshop at Old Dalby, Leicestershire should cease, and that its work load should be transferred to other facilities. It recommended that the district workshop at Ashford, Kent should also cease operations and that its work load should be transferred either to other ABRO facilities or to industry. The study also recommended that the ABRO's wider market-testing programme should be restructured to take account of the proposed closures and to provide more scope for innovative proposals from industry.Our intention is to begin consultation on these proposals with the relevant trade unions as soon as possible with a view to completing the ABRO withdrawal from Ashford by late 1995 and Old Dalby by late 1996. Final decisions will be taken in the light of this consultation.If, in the event, withdrawal from the ABRO workshop at Old Dalby is confirmed after consultation, the MOD will first seek to establish whether there is another MOD use for the site and, in the event that there is not, I will seek actively, in co-operation with the local Member of Parliament, local authorities, staff representatives and the relevant local agencies to find an alternative use for the site and its facilities.Copies of the consultation document are being placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much of the projected capital cost of the Trident programme has been (a) spent to date and (b) committed to date.

As at the end of June 1994, £7,401 million had been spent and £8,623 million committed on the Trident programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's latest estimate of the outstanding capital cost of the Trident programme that will remain to be spent and committed by (a) April 1996 and (b) April 1997.

At current prices and exchange rates, estimated outstanding capital spend and commitment on the Trident programme at April 1996 will be £1,416 million and £686 million respectively. It is not our practice to provide detailed forecasts of project costs more than two years in advance. By April 1997, however, we expect outstanding spend to be in the region of £1 billion and commitment to be somewhat in excess of £400 million at today's economic conditions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's latest estimate of the in-service date for the (a) second, (b) third and (c) fourth Trident submarines.

The second Trident submarine is due to enter service towards the end of 1995 or early in 1996, the third in the late 1990s and the fourth around the turn of the century.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total expenditure to date on the purchase of the Trident D5 missiles from the United States.

Some £596 million has been spent by the United Kingdom on the purchase of Trident D5 missiles from the United States.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Trident D5 missiles (a) have been purchased to date and (b) remain to be purchased.

The United Kingdom has purchased 44 Trident D5 missiles to date. Final decisions have yet to be taken on how many more missiles will be purchased.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which conventional force elements assigned to fulfil the nuclear aspects of defence role 1, "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1994", apart from the Tornado GR1s, are intended specifically to fulfil the sub-strategic role.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the specific duties of the 12 regular infantry battalions assigned to the fulfilment of the nuclear role, under defence role 1, "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1994".

The role of the 12 regular infantry battalions referred to under military task 1.1 is to provide protection to the nuclear deterrent in time of tension, crisis and war.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on postage, and how many items have been posted by his Department, in each of the last five years.

Expenditure by my Department on postal services during the last five years is as follows:

	£
1989–90	12,090,996
1990–91	11,208,115
1991–92	8,511,910
1992–93	8,847,536
1993–94	8,537,031
1994–95	13,745,595
1 to 24 October 1994

The costs are for items sent through the Royal Mail and do not include the cost of providing an internal mail service within my Department.The number of items of mail moved by the defence postal service in the last five years, based on average bag-fill factors, is as follows:

	Number
1990–91	56,607,788
1991–92	56,082,586
1992–93	37,567,378
1993–94	31,125,393
1994–95	128,687,836
1 estimate for whole year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the maritime rescue co-ordination centre at RAF Pitreavie to transfer to RAF Leuchars.

The rescue co-ordination centre at RAF Pitreavie Castle is expected to transfer to RAF Leuchars in the first quarter of 1996.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what preparations have been made and at what cost for the transfer of the maritime rescue co-ordination centre from RAF Pitreavie to RAF Leuchars.

Planning work continues within my Department to determine the optimum accommodation, communications and information systems necessary to support the national military rescue co-ordination centre at RAF Leuchars. To date, no money has been spent on the transfer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the future of the maritime rescue co-ordination centre at RAF Pitreavie.

I have nothing further to add to the statement made by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on the defence costs study, "Front Line First", on 14 July, Official Report, column 1172.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to transfer the headquarters of the air officer commanding Scotland from RAF Pitreavie to RAF Leuchars.

We propose to transfer the post of Air Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland from RAF Pitreavie Castle to RAF Leuchars in December 1995.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many public appointments (a) he is responsible for making and (b) require his approval including those not listed in "Public Bodies"; and if he will give this figure in terms of (i) appointments to executive bodies, (ii) appointments to advisory bodies and (iii) other appointments.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence approves 14 appointments to MOD executive non-departmental public bodies and 28 appointments to MOD advisory non-departmental public bodies. As for other public appointments not listed in "Public Bodies", I have nothing to add to the answer given to the hon. Member on 4 March, Official Report, column 938.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will delay any decision on replacement of the Hercules fleet until the result of the full feasibility study of the future large aircraft is available.

CVWW commercial accommodation financial year 1993–94
Organisation	Location	Usage	Rental £
Church Army	Sennelager	Canteen/Bookshop	6,269
	Herford	Office/Stores	2,359
	1Minden	Bookshop	706
	1Hildesheim	Bookshop/Flat	4,016
	Hameln	Club/Canteen	13,278
	1Hannover	Bookshop/Office	1,451
	Osnabrück	Bookshop	22,290
	Osnabrück	Bookshop/Canteen	2,988
Salvation Army	1Münsterlager	Bookshop/Canteen	903
	Herford	Office/Cellar	3,012
	Detmold	Club/Store	9,000
	Gütersloh	Club	1,499
	Iserlohn	Shop/Canteen	703
	1Lemgo	Shop	330
	1Soest	Paper stall	624
	1Soest	Club	1,982
TOC H	Paderborn	Accommodation	12,175
	Paderborn	Store	2,188
	Münster	Club	1,243
	Münster	Shop	649
	Münster	Club	6,180
	Herford	Offices	1,457
	1Verden	Bookshop	9,673
YMCA	Herford	Offices	5,952
	Bielefeld	Shop/Office/Store	4,942
	Dortmund	Shop/Office/Store	2,622
	Dortmund	Bookshop	2,733
	Celle	Bookshop	3,565
	Hohne	Bookshop/Giftshop/Canteen	21,495
	1Bergen	Bookshop	820
	Nienberg	Bookshop	3,475
	1Bunde	Bookshop	1,671

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to await the results of the full feasibility study due to be available in the first quarter of 1995 by British companies for the pending order of the RAF Hercules aircraft.

It would not be appropriate to delay a timely and cost-effective decision on the pressing operational needs of the Royal Air Force. The FLA is already being taken into account in our assessment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the date when he will make his decision concerning the replacement or otherwise of the Hercules transporter; and if he will make a statement.

I hope to make an announcement on the way forward for the first tranche of the Hercules rolling replacement programme around the turn of the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will detail the accommodation provided to the Council of Voluntary Welfare Work, referred to in the other notes to class I, vote 1 of the Appropriation Accounts 1993–94.

A list of all accommodation made available to the Council of Voluntary Welfare Workers in British forces Germany during financial year 1993–94 is provided. The following list is divided into commercial and residential accommodation respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name the (a) contractor and (b) RAF leases which led to the extra-contractual payment referred to in the notes to class I, vote 1 of the Appropriation Accounts 1993–94.

It is not my Department's practice to identify individual contractors where matters of commercial confidentiality are concerned. There were no leases involved in the case in question.

Number	Description	Value £	Recipient
30	RN Flags	10·00	Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust
3	Deck Plate, Honours Board Name Board—ex HMS Sirius	150·00	Portsmouth Royal Dockyard Historical Society
50	Liferaft Plastic Shells	100·00	Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust
1	Bell—ex HMS Scylla	200·00	City of Aberdeen
1	Name Plate—ex HMS Osiris	40·00	Kent and sharp-Shooters Yeomanry Squadron
1	Bell—ex HMS Cleopatra	250·00	Fleet Air Arm Museum Yeovilton
1	Honours Board—ex HMS Ambuscade	40·00	Borough of Crewe and Nantwich
1	Name Plate—ex HMS Ambuscade	40·00	Sea Cadet Corps TS Amberconwy
1	Name Plate—ex HMS Ambuscade	40·00	Sea Cadet Corpos TS Ambuscade

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list (a) the contractors and (b) the circumstances which led to an extra-contractual payment of £11,750,000, as listed in the notes to class I, vote 3 of the Appropriation Accounts 1993–94.

Individual contractors are not normally identified where matters of commercial confidentiality are concerned. The contractor had submitted claims against the Department in respect of alleged failures to meet obligations to supply equipment and information. These claims were disputed. However, following legal advice, the Department agreed to accept a share of responsibility for some of the delays and increased cost. The settlement, £19,000,000 payable over two years, was for approximately half the value of the total claim.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the gifts under £100,00 value recorded in class I, vote 2 of the Appropriation Accounts 1993–94.

The information requested is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give (a) the name of contractor and (b) the circumstances which led to £1,175,000 payments as listed in the notes to class I, vote 3 of the Appropriation Accounts 1993–94; and what disciplinary action was taken.

Individual contractors are not normally identified where matters of commercial confidentiality are concerned. Without admission of liability, a payment of £1,175,000, VAT included, was made to a contractor in respect of extra-contractual claims made against the Department. The claims were founded on the allegation that Government-furnished equipment had been provided late and in an unserviceable condition while Government-furnished facilities were not made available as planned. Disciplinary action was not considered to be appropriate in this case.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which naval base was involved and what was the gross cost of purchasing the property referred to in the order notices to class I, vote 1 of the Appropriation Accounts 1993–94.

The property referred to was purchased in connection with works at the Clyde submarine base. Some £203,500 was spent to purchase land to facilitate the construction of new mess and living accommodation at Faslane.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will detail the type of goods which led to £1,331,000 being lost as set out in the loss statement in class I, vote 2 of the Appropriation Accounts 1993–94; and what disciplinary action was taken.

The type of goods referred to form part of the marine engineering spares inventory and are wholly or mainly manufactured of rubber. The introduction of British standard 3574 in 1987 resulted in shorter shelf and working life periods for many rubber goods held at RNSD Eaglescliffe. A review which was carried out to test all rubber components against the new British standard revealed that a number of rubber items should be classified as non-conforming stock. An exhaustive study into this matter concluded that no blame could be attached to an individual or individuals in this case.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now set up a full public inquiry into operations at the atomic weapons establishment.

No. The Health and Safety Executive Review of the AWE was comprehensive and detailed. The AWE's response was published as part of the report and actions which accord with the recommendations form part of AWE's current safety development programme. A public inquiry would divert effort from the important safety improvement work now in hand.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he now expects to remove AWE's immunity from the licensing requirements of the Nuclear Installations Acts.

Decisions will be taken in the light of discussions with the HSE on the timing and implementation of licensing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution about safety at AWE following review by the Health and Safety Executive of AWE; and if he will ask Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to carry out a similar review of AWE and publish the results.

The HMIP, and also the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and, in the case of AWE Cardiff, the Welsh Office, routinely monitor AWE under the provisions of the relevant environmental legislation. They are independent regulators and judge for themselves appropriate timing for reviews and audits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what response he has made to the recommendation made by the director general of the Health and Safety Executive in his recent report on the safety of atomic weapons establishments in respect of Crown immunity; and when and in what form, he expects to respond to the other recommendations.

As I said to the House on 18 October 1994 during the defence debate, Official Report, column 240, we accept in principle the argument for licensing AWE Aldermaston and Burghfield under the provisions of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965, subject to discussions about timing the implementation. The report's other recommendations are addressed to the operating contractor, Hunting BRAE, and its response is incorporated into the HSE's report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are for daily sound monitoring of the night-time sorties at the Rosehearty test range; and if he will make a statement.

There are no plans for sound monitoring of night-time sorties at the RAF air weapons range at Rosehearty.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are to extend night-time flying at the Rosehearty test range to other months of the year; and if he will make a statement.

There are no plans to extend night flying at the RAF air weapons range at Rosehearty beyond the period, from 1 May to 31 August, already proposed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what actions will be taken to protect fishing vessels in the vicinity of the Rosehearty test range following the extension to the operating times of the range; and if he will make a statement.

The present regulations governing the use of the air weapons range at Rosehearty allow fishing vessels to operate safely within the range danger area both during the day and at night. No further action is therefore necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are for RAF officials to meet the residents of Rosehearty to discuss night-time bombing sorties; and if he will make a statement.

None. Public consultation on this issue is a matter for the local council. Officials from my Department and the local council met at RAF Lossiemouth in August when the RAF requirement for extended operating hours at the air weapons range, Rosehearty, was explained in full. Council officials were given every opportunity to raise any public concerns at that meeting.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what emergency procedures have been adopted in the event of an accident at the Rosehearty test range; and if he will make a statement.

The RAF requires all air weapons ranges to develop their own set of procedures for dealing with accidents in consultation with the appropriate local emergency services. Procedures in place at Rosehearty require the unit, in the event of an accident, to advise civilian emergency services and air traffic control at RAF Lossiemouth, render all possible aid at the scene of the accident and provide co-ordination assistance to the emergency and rescue services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration has been given to the possibility of simulated night-time sorties for training pilots; and if he will make a statement.

A considerable amount of night-flying training is carried out by aircrew of all three services using flight simulators. As simulator technology improves, more night training will be undertaken using synthetic training devices. However, for safety and operational reasons, the requirement for some live night-flying training will always remain.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the outbreak of dysentery at Vitez army camp in Bosnia; whether the source of infection has been identified; and what action has been taken to eradicate it.

Between July and September 1994, some 250 soldiers in Vitez and the surrounding areas reported sick with diarrhoea. In the majority of cases no causative organism was identified, although some specimens revealed a mix of organisms including salmonella and shigella. No specific source was identified but the in-theatre British military environmental health inspector believed contributing factors to be: damaged sewage systems and inadequately maintained waste disposal facilities in the surrounding area; faecal contamination of a river running through the camp; hot water; a high incidence of disease-carrying insects; and poor hygiene practices among the troops.As a result of his report, structural improvements were made to waste disposal systems, fly proofing was installed, food-handling and storage practices reinforced, water purification processes were checked and a theatre-wide campaign aimed at improving personal hygiene was introduced. The number of cases peaked in August and there have been no cases reported so far this month.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the level of expenditure by RAF Finningley on supplies and services from the local area.

The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the (a) total and (b) mean annual salary cost of service personnel located at RAF Finningley.

My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what developments, improvements, equipment upgrades or other physical works have been undertaken at RAF Finningley in the past five years; and what has been the cost of each of these works projects.

Details of works expenditure at RAF Finningley for financial years 1990–91 to 1994–95 are as follows:

	£
Property Management (including maintenance and minor works)	12,808,000
Officer Married Quarter refurbishment	5,200,000
New Air Navigation School	4,660,000
Airman Married Quarter refurbishment	4,600,000
Barrack Block refurbishment	1,242,000
Supply Hanger	772,000
New Motor Transport Facility	745,000
100 Squadron Accommodation	580,000
Station Heating upgrade	274,000
Total	30,881,000

These figures include estimated expenditure of £2,423,000 for the current financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much of the existing facilities at RAF Finningley could be used for civilian aviation purposes.

If the proposed closure of RAF Finningley goes ahead, and the site is disposed of, the runway, taxiway, hangarage, parking and handling areas could, subject to planning approval, be used for civilian aviation purposes.Fixtures such as radar and air traffic control equipment would be removed by the RAF prior to disposal. If the RAF continued to use Finningley as at present, and capacity for civil use of the airfield was identified, only the runway and taxiway would be available for use by civil aircraft on a regular basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what improvement works are required at other bases to which it is proposed that existing RAF Finningley activities will transfer in order that the facilities at RAF Finningley are matched; at which RAF stations the works are required; and what is the estimated cost of these improvement works.

The detail requested will be covered in a consultative document concerning the proposed closure of RAF Finningley. That document will fully explain the rationale behind the proposal, including financial considerations, and will be issued shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each public opinion survey commissioned by (a) his Department and (b) his agencies since 1 October 1992, showing for each, the subject, objectives, total cost, the period in which it was conducted and the organisation from which it was commissioned.

The information requested is as follows:

Period	Commissioned by	Subject
1992
November	Army	ACIO Research
December	Army	Army Officer Creative Development Research
1993
March	RAF	Recruitment Advertising Strategy Research
May	Army	Officer Advertising, Creative Development Research
December	MoD	NECL Creative Development Research
December	Army	Soldier Slogan Research
1994
February	RN	Advertising Strategy Development Research
March	MoD	University Finalists Survey
March	MoD	NELC Research
May	Army	Slogan Confirmation and Creative Development Research
June	Army	Army Recruitment Targeting Research
June	RN	Asians Language and Communication Survey
August	MoD	NECL Tracking—Autumn 94
September	Army	Army Recruiting Advertising Tracking

The objectives of the research are to monitor the effectiveness of advertising and attitudes of members of the public towards a career in the armed forces. The cost of the studies and the name of the successful contractor is commercially confidential information.The commissioning of public opinion surveys by my Department's agencies is a matter for the chief executives of those agencies. I can confirm, however, that none of the chief executives has commissioned such work since 1 October 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to introduce height-recording equipment in all fast jets included in low-level and ultra-low level training flights.

We have no plans to introduce such equipment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost to date for the decommissioning of each nuclear-powered submarine withdrawn from service; and what information his Department has sought from the Defence Ministries of the United States, France and Russia on their respective experience in such submarine reactor cores and hulls.

The approximate costs of undertaking the defuelling, de-equipping and lay-up preparation process for those nuclear-powered submarines which have been taken out of service to date are as follows:

Submarine	DDLP costs £ million
HMS Swiftsure	11·5
HMS Warspite	11·3
HMS Churchill	11·2
HMS Conqueror	10·6
HMS Courageous	10·8
HMS Revenge (SSBN)	18·7
HMS Valiant and HMS Resolution have not started their DDLP process yet.

Those costs do not include the costs of final disposal, the policy for which is still under consideration. It is also not possible to provide costs on the decommissioning of HMS Dreadnought, which was the first nuclear submarine to be withdrawn from service in 1982 and the information requested, in so far as it may be available, could be assembled only at disproportionate cost.A regular exchange of information between the United States and the United Kingdom Governments continues on all nuclear matters under the 1958 mutual defence agreement. No detailed discussions have taken place with France or Russia on these matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has undertaken a study of the costs to the Government arising from acts of corruption for which Gordon Foxley has been convicted.

My Department's study of Gordon Foxley's corrupt activities has been unable to establish specific costs to the Government arising from these.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Government of South Africa regarding allegations of sales of arms by British companies to the former South African Government in breach of the United Nations arms embargo; and if he will make a statement.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the costs of constructing the new MOD headquarters at Abbey Wood; and what are the expected running costs.

The estimated works cost of the Abbey Wood development, inclusive of site acquisition, construction, fitting out, professional works management fees and VAT is £254·136 million at 1993 prices. The construction programme continues to proceed within budget and against the planned time scale, which remains tight. Phased occupation of the accommodation is targeted to commence in autumn 1995, with the aim of completing by autumn 1996.We are in the process of inviting bids for facilities management at Abbey Wood. The core facilities management costs are projected to achieve savings in excess of 40 per cent. compared to existing accommodation, with energy costs estimated at one third of those for typical modern buildings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what conclusions for United Kingdom policy he has drawn from the recent report commissioned by the United States Department of Defence concerning the military utility of anti-personnel mines to the United States armed forces;(2) whether Her Majesty's Government will commission a report on the military utility of anti-personnel mines for the armed forces.

We are not aware of any specific United States Government report concerning the military utility of anti-personnel mines for the United States armed forces. The need for, and the role of, land mines for the United Kingdom armed forces is assessed as part of overall military strategy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of Her Majesty's armed forces have been (a) killed and (b) injured by anti-personnel mines since 1980; in which countries, and with what effects on operations in which British armed forces have been involved.

Precise data are not available on the individual weapons systems responsible for deaths and injuries of service personnel.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research he has conducted into the impact of anti-personnel mines on civilian populations; and what conclusions he reached.

No such research has been carried out by the Ministry of Defence. The use of anti-personnel land mines by United Kingdom armed forces is fully in accordance with the laws of war, which prohibit the use of land mines against civilians.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research he has conducted on the failure rates of anti-personnel mines with self-destruct or self-neutralising mechanisms; and if he will publish specific details of failure rates and the general conclusions of the research.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given in reply to a question from the hon. Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith) on 18 April 1994, Official Report, column 416.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research he has conducted to compare the levels of military utility to the United Kingdom armed forces of anti-personnel mines and anti-tank mines; and with what conclusions.

Anti-personnel mines and anti-tank mines have separate roles although they are often laid within the same area. The anti-tank mine is intended to prevent physically the passage of military vehicles with consequential effect on the enemy's fighting capability. Anti-personnel mines are intended to lower the enemy's general effectiveness. Consequently, the military utility of the two cannot be compared to useful advantage.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many public appointments (a) he is responsible for making and (b) require his approval including those not listed in "Public Bodies"; and if he will give this figure in terms of (i) appointments to executive bodies, (ii) appointments to advisory bodies and (iii) other appointments.

In respect of his ministerial responsibilities, my right hon. Friend is responsible for making 95 appointments to six executive bodies and 53 appointments on five advisory bodies. Ten further appointments to an advisory body require his approval. All of these are listed in "Public Bodies".In respect of his non-ministerial responsibilities for the Duchy of Lancaster, the Chancellor is also responsible for 186 appointments to 21 advisory bodies, and six appointments with a historical connection. These are not listed in "Public Bodies".

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the total number of public appointments made by Ministers, or requiring their approval, including those not listed in "Public Bodies"; and if he will give this figure in terms of (a) appointments to executive bodies, (b) appointments to advisory bodies and (c) other appointments.

There are 42,606 public appointments listed in "Public Bodies 1993". Of these, 4,116 are appointments to executive bodies, 10,022 are appointments to advisory bodies, and 28,468 are other appointments such as those made to tribunals and NHS bodies. Statistical information is not held centrally about other appointments not listed in "Public Bodies" which include the posts of utility regulators, and non-executive appointments to agency and departmental management boards.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the price per copy, in (a) real and (b) current prices of a daily copy of the Official Report in 1970, what it is at present; what has been the percentage change in the price since 1970; and what has been the change in the retail prices index over the same period.

The price of House of Commons daily Hansard in 1970 was 2s 3d, which adjusted by the percentage change in the retail prices index of 787 per cent. is equivalent to 87p today; the price since 1991 has been £7.50. The 1970 price was heavily subsidised by the taxpayer, and this is no longer the case. HMSO announced last year that prices for routine parliamentary publications, including the Official Report, would not be increased during the life of the present Parliament.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to meet the officers of the Hansard Society to discuss their report on the decline in the sales of Hansard; and if he will make a statement.

I have no such plans.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking to achieve maximum distribution of the Official Report; and if he will make a statement.

Market research on the prospects for increasing sales of the Official Report has recently been undertaken by MORI on behalf of HMSO. The findings are currently under consideration.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many telephone information lines have been established under the auspices of the citizens charter; and how many of these are currently in operation.

Many public service organisations have set up and run their own telephone information lines to ensure that their customers can make easy contact with them. The Office of Public Service and Science does not hold central records of all these lines, but is aware of Government helplines in the following sectors:AGRICULTURE

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will pay a visit to an English vineyard to discuss what steps he can take to better help the commercial vineyards in the United Kingdom in relation to harmonisation of the tax regime.

My right hon. and learned Friend has no immediate plans to visit an English vineyard at present, but he is fully aware of the concerns of the industry.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the changes in disparities in income level over the last decade.

Since 1979, real incomes have increased by an average of 36 per cent. Some groups have done even better—real incomes of pensioner couples are up 56 per cent.—but there have been gains for all groups.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to impose value added tax on private medical insurance, university or college fees, school fees, school lunches or other charges levied by the state or private schools.

I cannot anticipate the Budget statement by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received concerning the extension of VAT to public transport.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer receives many representations on a wide range of issues in the run-up to the Budget.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further plans he has to end the exemption of goods and services from VAT.

Tax changes are a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor in his Budget. However, the range of goods and services which member states exempt from VAT is covered by Community law. Most are mandatory exemptions, but member states have the option to extend certain exemptions to non-profit making bodies, subject to certain conditions.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what additional income he will gain in a full year from increasing VAT on fuel to 17½ per cent.; and what its effect will be on the weekly household bills of a family of four.

Application of the standard rate of VAT to domestic fuel and power will yield around an additional £1·5 billion in a full year. The impact on fuel bills will depend on fuel prices and on what happens to spending patterns.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the growth of the United Kingdom economy in the first three quarters of calendar year 1994.

In the first three quarters of 1994, gross domestic product was 3½ per cent. up on the same period a year earlier. We are now seeing a highly favourable combination of strong growth and low inflation, with underlying inflation at a 27-year low.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received about different fiscal treatment of financial products in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in Europe.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has received a large number of representations from organisations and individuals on a wide variety of subjects, as is customary in the run-up to the Budget.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the average amount each of the top 1 per cent. earners in the United Kingdom has received in tax cuts since 1979.

A calculation of the tax change for those who are currently in the top 1 per cent. of earners would require extensive information on their income levels and tax reliefs over the period since 1979. Since such information is not centrally available it is not possible to estimate an average figure.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the levels of total demand in the economy.

The most recent figures for total domestic demand relate to the second quarter of 1994. By then, demand had risen for nine consecutive quarters, to a level exceeding its previous peak in the second quarter of 1990.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of gross domestic product is taken by public expenditure; and what the figure was in 1979.

General Government expenditure excluding privatisation proceeds as a percentage of GDP was 44 in 1979–80 and 44.25 in 1993–94.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the tax burden of a married couple on average earnings, with a £30,000 mortgage and two children.

Real take-home pay, after tax, for this group has increased by around £83 a week since 1978–79 compared with an increase of less than £2 a week between 1973–74 and 1978–79.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the effects of fraud and waste in the European Union budget.

Fraud and waste in the Community budget is at an unacceptably high level and brings the Union into disrepute. It is essential that member states and Community institutions alike intensify their efforts to deal with it. The United Kingdom will continue to take the lead in the fight against fraud in the Community.In March, my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary announced a joint action proposal, under title VI of the treaty on European Union, to combat serious fraud against the Community budget. The Commission has also recently presented two proposals to the Council designed to reinforce the protection of the Community's financial interests. Those proposals and the United Kingdom's proposal are under consideration in the Council.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received suggesting proposals for his forthcoming Budget.

My right hon. and learned Friend has received a large number of representations from organisations and individuals, as is customary in the run-up to the Budget.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what new proposals he has to safeguard the jobs at the Central Statistical Office in London and Newport.

The Central Statistical Office publishes annually its future staffing estimates in its "Programme Strategies". The most recent relate to the period 1994–95 to 1996–97. These plans are rolled forward each year and are revised in line with changes in expenditure provision and business needs.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the relationship between tax changes and the incidence of poverty in the United Kingdom.

Since 1979, real incomes have increased for all economic groups. The policies of sound finance now being pursued will produce sustained recovery, more jobs and further increases in living standards.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department has spent on postage, and how many items have been posted by his Department, in each of the last five years.

Expenditure by HM Treasury on postage for 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95 to date was £67,612, £73,104 and £28,238 respectively.The number of items posted for 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95 to date was 311,010, 355,908 and 155,602.The information for earlier years is incomplete and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of tiger products and material containing tiger products seized by HM Customs and Excise in each of the last five years.

HM Customs and Excise made the following seizures over the period.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the cost of compensation to (a) public funds and (b) pension companies for pension transfers based on bad advice; what assessment he has made as to whether compensation from pension funds will be paid in full; and what representations he has received regarding the sources from which it should be paid.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Southport (Mr. Banks) on 25 October Official Report, columns 507–10.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total amount spent on official hospitality by (a) his Department and (b) his agencies for each year since 1990.

Expenditure by HM Treasury on official hospitality for 1990–91 was £E51,424; for 1991–92 £85,873; for 1992–93, £303,523; for 1993–94, £74,007; and spend to date in 1994–95, £27,732.The large increase in 1992–93 results from a number of one-off events including the informal meeting of the Economic and Finance Council during the United Kingdom presidency and the International Organisation for Securities Commissions conference.Expenditure by the agencies for 1990–91 was £44,832; for 1991–92, £45,955; for 1992–93, £36,593; for 1993–94, £53,051 and for 1994–95 to date £16,600.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the public appointments for which he is responsible (a) in the west midlands region and (b) in Shropshire, indicating in each case the duration of the appointment, the date when a new appointment is due, and the salary.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer is responsible for six public appointments in the west midlands region and one in Shropshire. All appointments are to VAT tribunals. The duration of each appointment is three years. Of the appointments in the west midlands region one new appointment is due on 1 October 1995; three on 1 October 1996 and two on 1 October 1997. A new appointment is due in Shropshire on 1 October 1997. All appointees are paid a daily fee when they sit, which is currently set at £149.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the average price of (a) cigarettes, (b) cigars and (c) rolling tobacco in each EU country; and what percentage of that price is excise, VAT or other tax;(2) what are the rates of excise duty and VAT on tobacco products in each EU country; and what is the difference in each case from United Kingdom levels.

The most popular price category for cigarettes, cigars and hand-rolling tobacco in each EU country and the excise and VAT elements of those prices are shown in the tables. Average prices of these products in other EU countries are not available.

	MPPC £ per 1000 cigarettes	Excise Duty as a percentage of MPPC	VAT as a percentage of MPPC
Cigarettes
Belgium	91·96	57·76	17·01
Denmark	145·94	64·56	20·00
France	82·80	59·16	16·32
Germany	100·49	58·68	13·04
Greece	60·59	56·62	15·25
Ireland	122·33	59·95	17·36
Italy	59·07	57·00	15·97
Luxembourg	65·32	57·96	10·71
Netherlands	80·43	57·00	14·89
Portugal	52·46	67·17	13·79
Spain	27·27	55·36	14·53
United Kigndom	127·00	61·20	14·89
Cigars
Belgium	935·97	10·00	17·01
Denmark	5577·10	10·37	20·00
France	1199·98	29·26	16·32
Germany	1168·99	5·00	13·04
Greece	—	—	—
Ireland	366·88	22·06	17·36
Italy	—	—	—
Luxembourg	—	—	—
Netherlands	2449·;46	5·00	14·89
Portugal	—	—	—
Spain	2528·24	10·00	14·53
United Kingdom	388·00	19·99	14·89
Hnand-rolling
tobacco
Belgium	26·29	37·55	17·01
Denmark	69·99	40·96	20·00
France	24·72	56·38	16·32
Germany	44·09	46·22	13·04
Greece	45·78	57·50	15·25
Ireland	101·43	67·33	17·36
Italy	26·48	54·28	15·97
Luxembourg	23·50	31·50	10·71
Netherlands	29·25	60·47	14·89
Portugal	11·10	30·00	13·79
Spain	22·31	30·00	14·53
United Kingdom	142·40	57·49	14·89