To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what guidelines have been issued to the judiciary and family courts on section 8 orders of the Children Act 1989; and if he will make a statement.

Guidelines are available to the judiciary and family courts in a range of authoritative

1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94
271	317	360	427	474	566	683	906	1,093	1,210

It is estimated that the number of legal aid acts of assistance will grow to more than 4 million over the next three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he proposes to take concerning the waiting times and reliability of bus services in London.

We are taking action in a number of areas. The London bus passengers charter incorporates tough quality of service targets which we set London Transport, covering areas such as waiting times and reliability of bus services. The charter provides a clear framework for bus operators to improve performance by focusing on the needs and views of their customers.Privatisation of the London Transport bus operating companies will bring the innovation and market responsiveness of the private sector to the provision of all London's bus services. Competitive tendering of London Transport's bus routes will ensure that services are provided as efficiently and cost effectively as possible.We will continue to support the development of a wide range of bus priority measures, with the aim of improving bus flows and making the bus a more attractive option for passengers. London Transport has installed electronic countdown signs on a number of London bus routes showing when to expect the next bus. The New Roads and Streetworks Act 1991 provides for the establishment of street works registers, which will enable London Transport to devise the most effective measures to reduce the impact of essential roadworks on bus services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a list of average waiting times

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he will issue the consultation paper setting out proposals for change to the legal aid system; if he will alter the legal aid means of assessment; how much public money has been granted in criminal and civil cases in each of the last 10 years to applicants in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on the cases for each of the next three years.

A consultation paper on eligibility for legal aid will be issued shortly that will canvass a number of proposals for change. The legal aid cost of civil and criminal cases, including the cost of legal advice and assistance, in each of the last 10 years, in £ million, was as follows:for a bus in each of the London boroughs; and if he will make a statement.

The information is as follows. It covers performance in quarter 2 1994–95, 26 June–17 September 1994:

Boroughs	Average Actual Waiting Time (mins)
Barking and Dagenham	7.04
Barnet	6.44
Bexley	7.40
Brent	6.03
Bromley	7.01
Camden	6.13
City	6.95
Croydon	6.40
Ealing	6.19
Enfield	5.40
Greenwich	7.48
Hackney	6.03
Hammersmith and Fulham	6.75
Haringey	5.95
Harrow	7.01
Havering	6.56
Hillingdon	6.13
Hounslow	6.56
Islington	6.12
Kensington and Chelsea	6.59
Kingston	6.77
Lambeth	6.88
Lewisham	6.97
Merton	8.02
Newham	7.06
Redbridge	6.95
Richmond	6.36
Southwark	6.87
Sutton	7.02
Tower Hamlets	6.87
Waltham Forest	7.00
Wandsworth	7.56
Westminster	6.22

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish for each London borough the percentage chance of waiting 10 to 30 minutes for a bus; and if he will make a statement.

Information on waiting times is as follows. It covers performance in quarter 2 1994–95, 26 June–17 September 1994:

Chance of Waiting Per cent.
Boroughs	Less than 10 minutes	10–20 minutes	20–30	Over 30 minutes
Barking and Dagenham	75.12	21.80	2.59	0.49
Barnet	79.38	17.94	2.22	0.46
Bexley	73.27	22.23	3.57	0.83
Brent	80.75	16.76	2.12	0.37
Bromley	75.04	21.00	3.20	0.77
Camden	80.07	17.03	2.40	0.50
City	75.28	20.34	3.38	1.00
Croydon	78.58	18.18	2.72	0.52
Ealing	80.43	17.18	2.03	0.36
Enfield	85.60	13.02	1.22	0.16
Greenwich	71.63	23.08	3.96	1.03
Hackney	80.79	16.47	2.23	0.51
Hammersmith and Fulham	76.41	19.49	3.23	0.87
Haringey	82.39	15.48	1.72	0.40
Harrow	74.58	22.41	2.71	0.30
Havering	78.55	19.02	1.98	0.45
Hillingdon	80.70	17.18	1.90	0.23
Hounslow	78.20	18.13	3.07	0.60
Islington	80.31	16.77	2.41	0.51
Kensington and Chelsea	77.11	18.48	3.44	0.97
Kingston	77.15	19.61	2.79	0.46
Lambeth	75.50	19.62	3.83	1.05
Lewisham	74.70	21.14	3.38	0.78
Merton	68.77	24.53	5.33	1.37
Newham	74.94	21.32	2.96	0.79
Redbridge	75.72	20.98	2.69	0.62
Richmond	79.08	17.69	2.74	0.50
Southwark	75.35	20.22	3.54	0.89
Sutton	74.73	21.90	2.86	0.51
Tower Hamlets	75.63	20.37	3.15	0.85
Waltham Forest	75.92	20.87	2.58	0.62
Wandsworth	71.72	22.23	4.58	1.47
Westminster	79.50	16.96	2.82	0.73

This information relates to high frequency services, for which a timetable is not generally published, and most of which have weekday peak frequencies of five buses per hour or more.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the provision of assistance to United Kingdom airports under the plans for the trans-European network.

The Commission proposal for a trans-European transport network and the related financing proposal are still under discussion and are not expected to be agreed until the middle of next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which Governments intend to, or already have, imposed transit taxes on British trucks using their roads; at what rates; what representations he has made (a) to the Governments concerned and (b) to the EEC Commission to stop such taxes; and whether he intends to impose similar taxes on foreign lorries using United Kingdom roads.

Within the European Union Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg and the Netherlands intend to introduce in 1995 a joint scheme for charging goods vehicles over 12 tonnes gross weight for the use of any part of the motorway network in those countries. The scheme will apply to all such vehicles, without discrimination, including those registered in those five countries. An annual permit will cost 1,250 ecu, approximately £980, for vehicles with four or more axles and 750 ecu, approximately £590, for vehicles with two or three axles. Permits will also be available for a month, a week or a day at roughly proportional rates. The scheme is permitted under Council directive 93/89/EEC on the taxation and charging of heavy goods vehicles. The principles of the scheme and the rates to be charged were fully discussed by the Transport Council before it adopted the directive.On joining the Union Austria will adapt the road charging scheme it has operated for heavy goods vehicles for many years. Vehicles are charged per tonne of payload per kilometre travelled on Austrian roads up to a maximum of 300 schillings—approximately £17.50—per tonne of payload per month. Austria will make phased reductions in its charges over two years to align them with the maximum permitted in the directive.Subject to identifying suitable technology, we intend to introduce a system of electronic motorway tolling in Britain for all vehicles, which would apply to foreign as well as British registered vehicles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a report on the European Union's trans-European transport network listing the United Kingdom airports involved in the Community connecting points.

The European Commission presented a proposal for the development of a trans-European transport network at the Transport Council on 18 April 1994. The proposal covers general principles and the components of the network. The trans-European airport network would comprise airports of common interest situated within the territory of the Community which are open to commercial air traffic and which comply with specified criteria. On the basis of these criteria, airports would be grouped into three categories according to their function in the network. The Community connecting points would be the largest airports, whose main function is described in the proposal as linking the Community to the rest of the world. Negotiations on the airports network are not yet complete.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all stations on British Rail and former British Rail networks and London Underground which are not staffed for any period when they are open to the public; and if he will make a statement.

No London Underground stations are planned to be unstaffed during the traffic day. The information requested in respect of British Rail and former British Rail networks is not held centrally and is therefore not readily available.I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were the victims of assault on (a) a Network SouthEast train, (b) a Network SouthEast station, (c) a British Rail station in Greater London and (d) a British Rail train in Greater London for each year from 1979; and how many in each year were women.

The former Network SouthEast operational area fell within two of the British Transport Police's operational areas—London north and London south. The tables show reported crime on British Rail and the London Underground for London north and London south for the period 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1994. Comparable information before April 1992 is not readily available in the format requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

All Crimes
Year	Month	London (North)	London (South)
1992	(from April)	12,570	13,926
1993		15,214	18,481
1994	(to March)	3,536	4,218
1992	April	1,207	1,196

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the planned 25 type 317 sliding door trains, or other replacement trains, will be available for service on the London, Tilbury and Southend line.

It is intended that replacement trains for the London, Tilbury and Southend line will become available following the entry into service of the new Networker trains currently on order under the £150 million leasing concession authorised last year. The timing of entry into service depends on detailed programming of associated infrastructure works.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the proportion of British Rail trains carrying first aid kits; and if he will take steps to secure the provision for such kits in all trains in the future.

It is a requirement of railway group standards that all passenger trains carry first aid kits as part of their standard safety equipment. On freight trains, the crew are issued with personal first aid kits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, as part of his evaluation of possible new east London Thames crossings, he will obtain and publish estimates of the cost of (a) adding a single track of the docklands light railway to the proposed east London river crossing between Beckton and Thamesmead and (b) a singletrack tunnel for the docklands light railway on a similar alignment to the proposed road bridge.

It would be for the proposer of any such schemes to make their estimates available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the causes of the near miss on the Central line on Saturday 8 October between Leytonstone and Stratford.

There was no near miss incident on the Central line between Leytonstone and Stratford on 8 October 1994.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport under which provisions of which Merchant Shipping Acts he has decided to delay publication of the marine accident investigation branch's most recent investigation into the loss of MV Derbyshire; when the marine accident investigation branch completed its report; and when he expects to publish the latest report.

No investigation into the loss of MV Derbyshire has been carried out by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch.Under the provision of section 33(7) of the Merchant Shipping Act 1988, the chief inspector of marine accidents was requested by my right hon. Friend to review the sonar and video material provided by the International Transport Workers Federation. The chief inspector expects to submit his findings and advice by the end of November, following which my right hon. Friend will announce what further action he intends to take.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will publish the most recent available figures for outcomes from local authority inquiries in Great Britain under the homelessness legislation.(2) if he will publish the most recent figures for the number of homeless households in Great Britain, found accommodation by local authorities, analysed by priority need category.

The latest available information on homeless households dealt with by local authorities in England is for the quarter ending June 1994. During the quarter, notifications of completed inquiries were issued in 67,880 cases. Of these, 30,680 households were accepted for permanent rehousing, 29,680 of whom were in priority need; 16,150 households were found to be homeless but not in priority need and were given advice and assistance; 19,940 households were found not be homeless; and 1,110 households were found to be intentionally homeless.The number of households accepted for permanent rehousing in each of the priority need categories were as follows:-

Household with dependent child(ren)	17,420
Household member pregnant	3,440
Household member vulnerable:
Old age	1,540
Physical handicap	1,630
Mental illness	1,680
Young	960
Domestic violence	1,740
Other	1,010
Homeless in emergency	260
Total accepted and in priority need	29,680

For information about Wales and Scotland I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement concerning the cost to public funds of employing ministerial special advisers in his Department.

The Department employs four special advisers. Salaries for special advisers are negotiated individually in relation to their previous earnings and are confidential. There are, however, normally paid on a special adviser's salary spine of 34 points, ranging from £19,503 to £67,609. Appointments are non-pensionable, and the salary reflects this.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he received a copy of the report on the disposal of radioactive wastes in deep repositories prepared by the Royal Society; and what plans he has to respond to the report's recommendations.

The Department obtained a copy of the report on its day of publication and is considering its contents. Since the report was not made to Government, we do not propose to issue a response.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about his Department's proposal to withdraw damping grant from London local authorities; if he will list the impact of such a proposal for each London local authority in (a) total cash terms and (b) the amount necessary to add to council tax bills equivalent to the amounts withdrawn; and if he will make a statement about his intentions.

We have received a number of representations from London local authorities on future plans for payment of SSA reduction grant. My right hon. Friend will announce his proposals for SSA reduction grant for 1995–96 very shortly as part of his statement on the local government finance settlement for England.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what arrangement she has made to monitor educational spending on different ethnic groups arising from the single regeneration budget.

I have been asked to reply.We shall expect adequate monitoring arrangements to be put in place to ensure that those sections of the community intended to benefit from SRB-supported projects do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what advice he has given to manufacturers of women's sanitary products on the use of plastics in these products;(2) If he intends to issue guidelines to manufacturers of women's sanitary products on the use of plastics in these products;(3) If his Department has investigated the impact of the use of plastics in the manufacture of sanitary products upon marine pollution;(4) What assessment he has made of the extent of the marine pollution problem caused by the use of plastics in women's sanitary products;(5) If he will hold talks with representatives of water authorities over the use of plastics in women's sanitary products.(6) what measures his Department has taken to encourage women to bag and bin sanitary products rather than dispose of such products through the sewerage system.

Discussions have been held with the Association of Sanitary Protection Manufacturers, the sewerage undertakers and other interested parties on ways to reduce the environmental problems posed by disposal of these products through the sewerage system. Product design, instructions to consumers on the methods of disposal and improvements to sewerage systems have been discussed. The provision of treatment for all significant discharges of sewage to the sea is expected to bring a major reduction of the problem. The Department supports action to persuade consumers to dispose of used products in ways which respect the environment, and is encouraging a national "bag it, bin it" campaign, which is being developed by the water industry. The need for up-to-date and accurate information for the public on issues of this sort will also be addressed through the Government's "Going for Green" initiative.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he has considered declassifying women's sanitary products and nappies as clinical waste.(2) what considerations apply to the disposal of women's sanitary products

Clinical waste is now defined in the Controlled Waste Regulations 1992. Guidance on what may fall within the definition of clinical waste is given in waste management paper 25. This guidance has been reviewed and a draft of revised guidance was issued for consultation in August last year.The Department considers that small quantities of sanitary waste from healthy households are non-hazardous and do not need to be dealt with in the same way as, for example, wastes from hospitals. The revised edition of waste management paper 25, to be published shortly, will urge a pragmatic approach to be taken by the regulatory authorities to this controlled waste stream. It will make it clear that disposal with normal household waste, if securely wrapped, can be an acceptable option.The Department supports action to persuade consumers to dispose of used products in ways that respect the environment and is encouraging a national "bag it, bin it" campaign being developed by the water industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to lay the orders relating to the abolition of the county of Humberside.

We expect the order will be ready to be laid in the early new year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 21 November, Official Report, column 14, how many timberwolf crossbreed dogs are rgistered under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 22 November, Official Report, column 66.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has concerning the proposal from the Shirayama Shukosan Company to convert County hall, London SE1, into a Pacific-Asia centre; and if he will make a statement.

None, apart from what has been reported in the news media.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will call in the original planning consent secured by the Shirayama Shukosan Company to convert County hall, London SE1; and if he will make a statement.

There are no powers to call in a planning application once consent has been granted. In the case of County hall, consents were granted after a public inquiry following planning appeals to my right hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who is to be the new chairman of the Commission for the New Towns.

I am pleased to announce that I have appointed Dr. John Bradfield CBE as the new chairman of the Commission for the New Towns, with effect from 1 February 1995. In the meantime, Sir Neil Shields will remain as chairman until 31 January 1995.I am delighted that Dr. Bradfield has accepted this appointment, and I am looking forward to working with him as CNT chairman. I am sure he will bring a great deal of energy and expertise to the job of completing the new towns programme.At the same time I would like to pay warm tribute to Sir Neil Shields who has brought outstanding skills of leadership and diplomacy to his 13 years as chairman of the commission. Those years have seen enormous changes as the new town development corporations have been wound up and the sale of assets has gained momentum. Sir Neil has transformed the commission and coped with all these changes magnificently, while notching up a significant number of achievements for the new towns movement and building a strong base for the future.I would also like to pay tribute to Lord Finsberg. His role in the Council of Europe and the West European Union has restricted what he can do for CNT but his commitment to its work has been most important, and I am very pleased that he is prepared to continue as deputy chairman of the commission, thus providing the continuity which is so important at this time of significant change.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average payment made to providers in (a) North Norfolk Action, (b) Workstart and (c) all other similar schemes; and what was the total amount paid to all providers in the last year for which figures are available.

The Employment Department does not collect information centrally on the number of programme providers and the amounts paid to each of them. The fee paid to the providers per place per week in 1994–95 is:

a) for North Norfolk Action, £52

b) for Community Action, £40

The total amount paid to all providers in 1993–94 was:

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many 16 to 18-year-olds receive two days or more of quality training as a percentage of that age group.

Estimates from the spring 1994 labour force survey for Great Britain show that 76 per cent. of those aged 16 to 18 were in full-time education, on a Government employment or training programme or doing a recognised trade apprenticeship. Quality assurance procedures are in place for all Government training programmes funded by the Department but information on the quality of other training is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement concerning the cost to public funds of employing ministerial special advisers in his Department.

The Department employs one special adviser.Salaries for special advisers are negotiated individually in relation to their previous earnings and are confidential. They are, however, normally paid on a special adviser's salary spine of 34 points, ranging from £19,503 to £67,609. Appointments are non-pensionable and the salary spine reflects this.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether, under the proposed jobseeker's allowance, an unemployed claimant will be entitled, without incurring a payment sanction, to (a) decline a job offer without showing good cause where the hours of work would be less than 24 hours per week and (b) whether it will be a good cause for turning down a job offer where (i) the travelling time is excessive or (ii) the work-based expenses a person would incur would represent an unreasonably high proportion of their wages; and if he will make a statement.

These matters are still under consideration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if the jobseeker's allowance will be made available to all of those actively seeking work or training, including those under 18 years of age.

Our proposals for the jobseeker's allowance are that, as now, unemployed people must seek work actively in order to receive benefit.All 16 and 17-year-olds are guaranteed a suitable youth training place and most young people under 18 are, therefore, excluded from benefit. These arrangements will continue when jobseeker's allowance is introduced.Those 16 and 17-year olds required to be available for work and youth training who fall into specified categories or who are at risk of unavoidable severe hardship will be paid within the structure of the jobseeker's allowance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what directives are expected to be issued by the European Commission over the next six months which effect rights and conditions at work; and when they are due to be published.

The European Commission's recent White Paper on the future of European social policy states that a new work programme will be presented during 1995 following consultations on the White Paper's proposals. It is not yet known whether draft directives affecting rights and conditions at work will form part of that work programme, and the White Paper makes it clear that there is no consensus between member states about the need for further legislation on labour standards at European level.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on what dates in the next 12 months he expects to meet other European employment Ministers; under what auspices; and what subjects are likely to be discussed.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I will meet other European employment Ministers in Brussels at the forthcoming Social Affairs Council on 6 December. There will be further Council meetings over the next 12 months under the French and Spanish presidencies and we anticipate a range of bilateral contacts with out opposite numbers. These discussions will cover a range of employment and social affairs issues.

To ask the Attorney-General (1) what reasons for the delay in extraditing Brendan Smyth were advanced by officials of the Irish Attorney-General's office during the contacts his officials had with them on 20 September 1993;(2) what reasons for the delay in extraditing Brendan Smyth were advanced by officials of the Irish Attorney-General's office during the contacts his officials had with them on 18 November 1993(3) what reasons for the delay in extraditing Brendan Smyth were advanced by the Irish Attorney-General's, office during the contacts his officials had with them on 14 October 1993;(4) what reasons for the delay in extraditing Brendan Smyth were advanced by officials of the Irish Attorney-General's office during the contacts his officials had with them on 6 December 1993;(5) if during their contacts with officials of the Irish Attorney-General's office on 20 September 1993, his officials made a specific request for the early extradition of Brendan Smyth;(6) if during their contacts with officials of the Irish Attorney-General's office on 14 October 1993, his officials made a specific request for the early extradition of Brendan Smyth;(7) if during their contacts with officials of the Irish Attorney-General's office on 18 November 1993, his officials made a specific request for the early extradition of Brendan Smyth;(8) if during their contacts with officials of the Irish Attorney-General's office on 6 December 1993, his officials made a specific request for the early extradition of Brendan Smyth.

It is not customary to divulge dialogue on departmental business between United Kingdom officials and those of a foreign Administration.

To ask the Attorney-General what consideration he gave to interceding personally with the Irish Attorney-General when it became clear that the extradition request, in respect of Brendan Smyth, made by the Royal Ulster Constabulary in April 1993 was not being responded to positively by the office of the Irish Attorney-General; and if he will make a statement.

I consider that the contacts made by my officials with officials of the Irish Attorney-General's office, the dates of which have already been supplied to the hon. Member, were appropriate to the circumstances of the case.

To ask the Attorney-General on which date in 1992 the first approach was made to the Garda or the office of the Irish Attorney-General by the RUC or his office about the possible extradition of Brendan Smyth.

I am not aware of any such approach in 1992.

To ask the Attorney-General who intimated to his office, and when, that Brendan Smyth was likely on his own volition to surrender himself to the authorities in Northern Ireland.

The likelihood was intimated by his solicitor to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland towards the end of November 1993, and that information was passed to officials of my Department on 29 November 1993.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the salary and other

Type of grant/loan regime	Grant/loan	Eligibility
Football Trust
Major Projects Scheme (Capital projects to meet the recommendations of the Taylor Report)	Grant	FA Premier League, Football League, Scottish Football League clubs, and the National Stadia.
Safety Scheme (Capital projects to meet local authority safety certification requirements) eg. CCTV, Floodlighting, PA Systems.	GrantFA Premier League, Football League, and Scottish Football League clubs.
Ground Improvements Scheme eg. Toilets, Family Facilities, Facilities for People with Disabilities.	Grant	FA Premier League, Football League, and Scottish Football League clubs.
Transport Improvements Scheme	Grant	FA Premier League, Football League, and Scottish Football League clubs.
Police Charges and Stewarding	Grant	Football League, Scottish Football League, and GM Vauxhall Conference clubs.

[holding answer 24 November 1994]: Prior to the establishment of the agencies, no single posts were responsible for the duties now carried out by the individual chief executives. Direct comparisons are not therefore possible. The details of the grades and staff involved and their salaries are as follows:

Historic Royal Palaces (established 1 October 1989):

Work previously occupied part of the duties of a Grade 3 office (salary at 1 October 1989: £40,900 plus £2,000 London bonus), and part of the duties of a Grade 5 officer (salary at 1 October 1989: £33,991).

The Royal Parks (established 1 April 1993):

Work previously occupied one full time Grade 6 officer (salary at 1 April 1993: £44,390) and part of the duties of a Grade 5 officer (salary at 1 April 1993: £49,790)

All salary figures quoted are the scale maxima for London, but exclude any performance pay. It is not possible to estimate the amount of time spent on agency business by those officers only spending part of their time on it.In addition to the posts detailed above, a small amount of the time of a grade 2 officer and the Permanent Secretary would also have been taken up with matters now dealt with by the chief executive.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the grants and loans currently available for the erection and development of sports stadiums for Football Association and other sports grounds.

[holding answer 24 November 1994]: Government funds for the erection and development of sports stadiums are mainly channelled through the Football Trust for Football, and the Foundation for Sport and the Arts elsewhere. In addition, Sportsmatch, the Governments's business sponsorship incentive scheme for sport, can award pound-for-pound matching funding for new or increased sponsorship of capital schemes aimed at grass roots sports, including sports grounds. The Sports Council may from time to time make grants towards capital projects at sports grounds. The council may also make interest-fee loans of up to £10,000 to assist in the provision of new or improved sports facilities or social amenities.A table detailing the various grant and loan regimes administered by these bodies follows;

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will issue guidelines to colleges and universities to ensure that no such establishment shall withhold or delay the issuing of an achieved diploma or certificate until a student loan has been repaid; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend does not intend to issue such guidelines. College and university regulations covering the issue of academic awards are for institutions to determine.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list for the last school year the number of exclusions from schools in each local authority area together with a summary of the principal reasons for such exclusions if available.

This information is not available centrally. Reports on maintained schools published by Ofsted do, however, include details of the number of exclusions in the 12 months preceding the school's inspection.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans she has to publish data on school exclusions.

Reports on maintained schools published by Ofsted include information about exclusions in the 12 months preceding the school's inspection. My right hon. Friend is considering whether there is a need to supplement that information with any further published data on school exclusions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information she has regarding the comparative levels of Government spending per student or otherwise on student maintenance awards, excluding the payment of tuition fees, in each of the member states of the European Union.

Systems of financial support for students undertaking higher education courses vary widely across the EU, and the information requested is not available in a comparable form. The guide "The Main Systems of Financial Assistance for Students in Higher Education in the European Community", published by EURYDICE, provides a useful summary of the system in each member state. Copies were placed in the Library earlier this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the current level of the United Kingdom grant-in-aid for the running costs of the Student Loans Company Ltd.

Provision in the Supply estimates for the running costs of the Student Loans Company is £19–392 million for the financial year 1994–95.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many representations she has received in the current academic year regarding delays in the processing of applications for student loans by the Student Loans Company Ltd.

My right hon. Friend has received three letters about delays in the processing of loans. The Department has also received a number of telephone calls from both students and higher education institutions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether the Student Loans Company is on target for repayments in 1994–95.

The Student Loans Company has been set a target of collecting 94.5 per cent. of all moneys due by the end of the 1994–95 financial year. As at 31 October 1994, it had collected 93.5 per cent. of moneys due at that date. The company estimates that it will achieve the target for the financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to charge asylum seekers full overseas student fee levels in respect of courses undertaken part-time in institutions of higher education.

We are currently consulting institutions of further and higher education, and bodies concerned with student welfare, refugees and asylum seekers, about a proposal to amend the Education (Fees and Awards) Regulations to allow institutions to recoup full-cost fees from part-time overseas students, to fall in line with the regulations for full-time students. This could potentially affect asylum seekers as well as other students from overseas, but not those already granted refugee status or exceptional leave to remain. Institutions would not, however, be obliged to charge a higher fee and would be free to use their discretion.The consultation period ends on 30 November and a decision on possible amendment of the regulations will be made in the new year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education on how many occasions she has given written approval to governing bodies of further education colleges for the remuneration of governors for their activities as governors and/or the taking and holding of an interest in college property in the current and two preceding financial years.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what plans she has to introduce new competency-based vocational teaching qualifications for further education lecturers;(2) what instructions she has given to the Further Education Development Association to prepare for the creation of an education lead body for vocational teaching qualifications.

A preliminary review of the occupations in the further education sector and closely related areas will be undertaken during the first half of 1995. It is envisaged that the project steering committee for this work will be chaired by the chief executive of the Further Education Development Association.The outcome of the review will help inform decisions on any future lead body arrangements to consider vocational teaching qualifications in the further education sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much of the underspend in grant-maintained schools in 1993–94 contained in class X, vote 1 of the appropriation accounts 1993–94 will be returned to local authorities to spend on schools.

The accounts report an underspend in provision voted for recurrent expenditure on grant-maintained schools in 1993–94 of £102.674 million. Of that underspend, £88.348 million was in annual maintenance grants and £14.326 million in other grants.Expenditure by the Department on annual maintenance grants is recouped in full from local authorities. The reduction in the amount of grant required to be paid therefore resulted in a corresponding reduction in the amount required to be recouped. As a result, the underspend on annual maintenance grants remained within local authority budgets.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will break down the expenditure on grant-maintained schools, class X, vote 1 of the appropriation accounts 1993–94 to give the Department's contribution and the element of local government total standard spending involved.

Total recurrent expenditure on grant-maintained schools in 1993–94 breaks down as follows:-

	£ million
Annual maintenance grants	1,011.652
Other grants	54.692
Total recurrent expenditure	1,066.344

Expenditure on annual maintenance grants was recouped from local authority budgets. Thus, the remaining £54.692 million represents the Department's net contribution.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the total number of lecturers employed in further education colleges.

The total number of academic staff in LEA maintained colleges of further education in England in 1992–93 was 59,830; figures for part-time staff have been converted to full-time equivalents.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the average cost to public funds of (a) a further education lecturer and (b) a higher education lecturer taking early retirement on health grounds.

The information requested is not available. However, the average pension and retirement lump sum of all teachers and lecturers retiring on health grounds within the teachers' superannuation scheme is shown in the table.

	Average Pension £	Average Lump Sum £
Male	8,912	26,738
Female	7,174	21,518

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will publish guidance to secondary schools on

LEA-maintained colleges: Further Education Student Staff Ratios1
	1988–892	1989–902	1990–91	1991–92	1992–93
LEA-maintained colleges	10.2	10.8	11.1	12.0	12.6
Sources:
DFE surveys; Further Education Student Record, teachers in the maintained sector return (Form 618G) and the Annual Monitoring Survey.
Notes
1 Part-time students and members of staff have been converted pro-rata to full-time equivalents;
2 The figures for 1988–89 and 1989–90 include the FE element of PCFC colleges.

To ask the Secretary for Education if she will list, for each local authority, for (a) 1992–93, (b) 1993–94 and (c) 1994–95 the amount of money received from the training of youth and community workers category of GEST.

The expenditure supported through the GEST programme for training for youth and community work for each local education authority in each year is set out in the table.

GEST allocations to LEAs for training of youth and community workers
LEAs	1992–93 (£000)	1993–94 (£000)	1994–95 (£000)
Corporation of London	0.0	0.0	0.0
Camden	5.0	5.0	4.4
Greenwich	5.0	6.3	5.7
Hackney	5.0	5.8	3.0
Hammersmith	5.0	5.0	1.9
Islington	5.0	5.0	2.7
Kensington and Chelsea	5.0	5.0	1.5
Lambeth	5.0	5.9	2.3
Lewisham	5.0	6.1	4.9
Southwark	5.0	6.1	3.6
Tower Hamlets	5.0	5.0	4.1
Wandsworth	5.0	6.0	2.4
Westminster	5.0	5.0	3.0
Barking	5.0	5.0	3.7
Barnet	5.0	9.1	6.7
Bexley	5.0	5.9	5.9
Brent	5.0	6.9	4.2
Bromley	5.0	8.2	2.5
Croydon	5.0	9.0	7.0
Ealing	5.0	7.9	3.1
Enfield	5.0	7.5	7.1
Haringey	5.0	5.0	3.7
Harrow	5.0	5.7	4.1
Havering	5.0	6.4	6.6
Hillingdon	5.0	6.4	2.0
Hounslow	5.0	5.8	5.7
Kingston upon Thames	5.0	5.0	2.8

Guidance on the use of interviews in school admission procedures is contained in circular 6/93, "Admissions to maintained schools". This was issued to all schools in July 1993.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the ratio of academic staff to students in further education colleges in each of the last five years.

Information for the most recently available five years is as follows.

GEST allocations to LEAs for training of youth and community workers
LEAs	1992–93 (£000)	1993–94 (£000)	1994–95 (£000)
Merton	5.0	5.0	3.4
Newham	5.0	6.0	5.3
Redbridge	5.0	6.2	6.2
Richmond upon Thames	5.0	6.0	2.7
Sutton	5.0	5.0	2.8
Waltham Forest	5.0	5.7	4.8
Birmingham	11.5	29.4	25.6
Coventry	5.0	8.8	7.6
Dudley	5.0	8.4	6.9
Sandwell	5.0	8.3	7.2
Solihull	5.0	6.0	6.4
Walsall	5.0	7.6	6.8
Wolverhampton	5.0	7.2	5.7
Knowsley	5.0	5.0	3.5
Liverpool	5.3	13.4	11.8
St.Helens	5.0	5.6	5.2
Sefton	5.0	8.5	7.8
Wirral	5.0	9.7	8.9
Bolton	5.0	8.0	6.9
Bury	5.0	5.1	4.2
Manchester	5.3	12.6	9.9
Oldham	5.0	6.6	6.5
Rochdale	5.0	6.5	4.9
Salford	5.0	6.6	5.3
Stockport	5.0	8.3	7.9
Tameside	5.0	6.1	5.4
Trafford	5.0	5.8	4.3
Wigan	5.0	9.2	8.4
Barnsley	5.0	6.5	4.5
Doncaster	5.0	8.7	8.1
Rotherham	5.0	7.5	7.3
Sheffield	5.7	13.6	10.4
Bradford	5.7	14.6	13.0
Calderdale	5.0	5.8	4.7
Kirklees	5.0	11.2	9.9
Leeds	8.1	20.1	17.5
Wakefield	5.0	9.0	7.6
Gateshead	5.0	5.6	4.8
Newcastle upon Tyne	5.0	7.7	6.1
North Tyneside	5.0	5.2	5.1
South Tyneside	5.0	5.0	3.5

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many authorities bid for funds from the reducing truancy category of GEST for (a) 1992–93, (b) 1993–94 and (c) 1994–95; and if she will list the successful authorities and the amount they received for both years.

The "Reducing Truancy" category of the grants for education support and training scheme was introduced in 1992 and expanded into a "Truancy and Disaffected Pupils" category in 1993. In the first, 1993–94, round there were 82 bids and 74 were successful. For the 1994–95 round, there were 101 bids, of which 86 were successful. Details of individual allocations are as follows:

GEST scheme 1993–94: Reducing Truancy Approved Expenditure (on which DFE pays 60 per cent. grant)
LEA	Allocation (£ 000's)
Barnsley	106.7
Bedfordshire	166.0
Berkshire	94.3
Birmingham	282.3
Bradford	200.0